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Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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WEBSiER.N.Y.  14580 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHJVi/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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D 


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D 
D 
D 

n 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 


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n 

n 
0 


n 
0 


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The 
to  tl 


The 
post 
of  tl 
film 


Orig 

begi 

the 

sion 

othe 

first 

sion 

or  11 


The 
shal 
TINl 
whi( 

Map 
diffe 
entir 
begii 
right 
requ 
mett 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 

m 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmad  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

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York  University 

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method: 


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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  Ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Ol 


MOOSWA    AND    OTHERS 
OF    THE    BOUNDARIES 


\ 


Jv9) 


II 


f*:%KJ^ 


'■,■    ■^    t, 


"WELL,  LET  ME   SEE,"   CONTINUED  BLACK  FOX,  "HERE  YE  HAVE   ALL  ASSEMBLED; 
FOR   FORM'S    SAKE    I    WILL   CALL    YOUR    NAMES." 


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MOOSWA  ^  OTHERS 
OF  THE  BOUNDARIES 

By   W.   A.   FRASF,  R 

lllmty„lf,l  h   ARPHLIR    HKMING 


I 


CHARLES     SCRIBNER'S     SONS 


NEW     rORK 


M  DCCCC 


c 


/9o  o 


Copyright,    igoo,    hy 

(.'HARI.KS    StRIHNKR's    SONS 
ALL      R  I  R  H  T  S      R  K  S  R  It  V  E  D 


UNIVERSITY    J-RESS     •    JOHN    WILSON 
AND    SON    •     CAMBRIIIGE,    U.S.A. 


Contents 


fAOE 

Introduction ix 

Thi;   I)wii,i,krs  oi    iHt   Houndarius xiii 

Choosinc;  thk   Rinc; ...  I 

Thi:   Value  ok  their   Vvr 27 

The   Law  ok  the   Boundaries 46 

The  Buildinc;  ok  the  Shack 74 

The  Exploration  ok  Carcajou 91 

The  Setting  Out  ok  the  Traps 98 

The  Otter  Si  ide 109 

The  Trapping  ok   Wolverine 130 

The  Coming  ok  the   Train   Docis 146 

The  Trapping  ok  Black   Fox 1  50 

The   Run  of  the  Wolves 166 

Carcajou's  Revenge 179 

Pisbw  Steals  The  Boy's  Food 194 

The  Punishing  of  Pisew 203 

The  Caring  for  The  Boy 219 

FRAN901S  AT  The  Landing 232 

MoOSWA    BRINGS    HeLP   TO   ThE    BoY 237 


Illustrations 

From  drawings  by  Arthur  Heming 


PAGE 

"Well,  let  ine  see,"   continued  Black  Fox,   •' here  Ye 
have  all  assembled;    •*  for   form's  sake   I    will  call 

your  names" Frontispiece 

"So  I  lay  still,  pretending  to  be  asleep" 36 

♦'The  ball   struck   me   in   the   shoulder,  and  made   me 

furious  with  rage" 42 

'•  Wuf ! "  sniffed  Muskwa,  gently.     "  Our  Man  burns  the 

stink-weed  in  his  mouth" 94 

'*Cat,"  answered  Francois;  "dat's  Mister  Lynk  "  .      .  102 
Rof  was  going  with  so  much  speed,   .  .  .  that  he  could  n't 

gather  for  a  spring 1 26 

They  were  a  funny-looking  party 144 

♦*  Holy  Mudder,  dis  time  sabe  Francois"       .      .      .      .  174 

"  I  go  for  pull  out  now.  Boy" 194 

"It's  terrible  !  "  Mooswa  blurted  out 216 

"Poor  old  Chap!" 224 

In  three  days  they  arrived  at  The  Landing      ....  260 


:^ 


i 


T 


H 

ft 


came  to 
seasons 
ewan  Ri 

Long 
as  sittin 
listened 
enthusia 
in  the  w 

If  th( 
interest 
lips,  the 
in  the  h( 

Seven 
Black  F 
Half-bre 
a  season, 

Carcaj 
through 
North-\ 
trapping 


Introduction 


THIS  simple  romance  <  ^a  simple  people,  the 
furred  dwellers  of  the  Northern  forests, 
came  to  me  from  time  to  time  during  the  six 
seasons  I  spent  on  the  Athabasca  and  Saskatch- 
ewan Rivers  in  the  far  North- West  of  Canada. 

Long  evenings  have  passed  pleasantly,  swiftly, 
as  sitting  over  a  smouldering  camp-fire  I  have 
listened  to  famous  Trappers  as  they  spoke  with 
enthusiastic  vividness  of  the  most  fascinating  life 
in  the  world,  —  the  fur-winner's  calling. 

If  the  incidents  and  tales  in  this  book  fail  of 
interest  the  fault  is  mine,  for,  coming  from  their 
lips,  they  pleased  as  did  the  song  of  the  Minstrel 
in  the  heroic  past. 

Several  of  the  little  tales  are  absolutely  true. 
Black  Fox  was  trapped  as  here  described,  by  a 
Half-breed,  Johnnie  Groat,  who  was  with  me  for 
a  season. 

Carcajou  has  raided,  not  one,  but  many  shacks 
through  the  chimney,  as  fifty  Trappers  in  the 
North-West  could  be  brought  to  testify.  The 
trapping  of  this  clever  little  animal  by  means  of 


X  INTRODUCTION 

a  hollow  stump,  all  other  schemes  having  failed, 
was  an  actual  occurrence.  It  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  many  a  Trapper  has  had  to  abandon  his 
"  marten  road "  and  move  to  another  locality 
when  Carcajou  has  set  up  to  drive  him  out. 

Mooswa  is  still  plentiful  in  the  forests  of  the 
Athabasca,  and  is  the  embodiment  of  dignity 
among   animals. 

There  is  no  living  thing  more  characteristic 
of  the  Northern  land  than  Whisky-Jack,  the  Jay. 
Wherever  a  traveller  stops,  on  plain  or  in  forest, 
and  uncovers  food,  there  will  be  one  or  two  of 
these  saucy,  thieving  birds.  Where  they  nest, 
or  how,  is  much  of  a  mystery.  I  never  met  but 
one  man  who  claimed  to  have  found  Jack's  nest, 
and  this  man,  a  Trapper,  was  of  rather  an 
imaginative  turn   of  mind. 

The  Rabbit  of  that  land  is  really  a  hare,  never 
burrowing,  but  living  quite  in  the  open.  As  told 
in  the  story  they  go  on  multiplying  at  a  tremen- 
dous rate  for  six  years ;  the  seventh,  a  plague 
carries  a  great  number  of  them  off,  and  very  few 
are  seen  for  the  next  couple  of  years.  The 
supply  of  fur  depends  almost  entirely  upon  the 
rabbit  —  he  is  the  food  reserve  for  the  other 
forest  dwellers. 

Blue  Wolf  is  also  an  actuality.  Once  in  a 
while  one  of  the  gray  wolves  grows  larger  than 


I  his  fellov 

1  have  one 

2  are  very  i 

Trappers 

Per hup 

'^too    proli 

I  or  other 

ftell  the   tl 

'■  me  undei 

A  poplars, 

I  handed   vy 

I  soothing 


***Bi 


INTRODUCTION 


XI 


I  failed, 
known 
don  his 
locality 
out. 
of  the 
dignity 

:teristic 
he  Jay. 
forest, 
two  of 
i^  nest, 
let  but 
's  nest, 
her    an 

,  never 
Vs  told 
remen- 
plague 
;ry  few 
The 
on  the 
other 


his  fellows,  and  wears  a  rich   blue-gray  coat.     I 
[have  one  of  these  pelts  in  my  house  now  —  they 
Bare  very  rare,  and  are  known  to  the  Traders  and 
I  Trappers  as  Blue  Wolf 

Perhaps   this    story   is   too    simple,   too   light, 
■  too    prolific    of  natural    history,   too    something 
|or  other— 1    don't   know;    I    have  but  tried   to 
itell  the  things  that  appeared  very  fascinating  to 
Ime  under  the  giant  spruce  and  the  white-barked 
poplars,  with  the  dark-faced   Indians  and  open- 
handed   white    Trappers   sitting   about    a    spirit- 
soothing  camp-fire. 


1 


? 


I   in   a 
r  than 


THE   DW 
1 


MOOSWA,  tl 
MU.SKWA,  /- 

Black  Yoy, 
The  Rkd 
Cros8-Stri 
RoF,  the  Bl. 
Carcajou, 

and  know 
PisEW,  the  J 
UMlaK,  the 
Wapoos,  th 

for  Man 
Wapistan, 
Nekik,  the 
Sakwasew, 

Fish. 

WUCHUSK, 

admired  1 
SiKAK,  the 

broke  up 
Wenusk,  tl 

WUCHAK,  / 


THE   DWELLERS   OF   THE    BOUNDARIES   AND 

THEIR   NAMES  IN   THE    CREE 

INDIAN  LANGUAGE 


:i 


;; 


MooswA,  the  Moose.     Protector  of  The  Boy. 

Mu.sKWA,  the  Bear. 

Black  Fox,  King  of  the  Boundaries. 

The   Rkd  WiD(nv,  Black  Fox's  Alother. 

Ciioss-Stripks,  Black  Fox's  Baby  Brother. 

RoF,  the  Blue  IVolf.      Leader  of  the  Ciray  Wolf  Pack. 

Carcajou,  the  JVolverine.     Lieutenant  to  Black  King. 

and  known  as  the  "  Devil  of  the  Woods." 
PisF.w,  the  Lynx.     Possessed  of  a  cat-like  treachery. 
Umisk,  the  Beaver.     Known  for  his  honest  industry. 
Wapoos,  the  Rabbit  (really  a   Hare).     The   meat   food 

for  Man  and  Beast  in  the  Boundaries. 
Wapistan,  the  Marten.     With  fur  like  the  Sable 
Nf.kik,  the  Otter.     An  eater  of  Fish. 
Sakwasew,  the  Mink.     Would  sell    his  Mother  for   a 

Fish. 
WucHUSK,   the   Muskrat.     A   houseless  vagabond   who 

admired  Umisk,  the  Beaver. 
SiKAK,  the  Skunk.      A  chap    to  be   avoided,  and  who 

broke  up  the  party  at  Nekik's  slide. 
Wf.nusk,  the  Badger. 
WucHAK,  the  Fisher. 


r* 


xiv   DWELLERS  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES 


Whisky-Jack,  the  Canada  "Jay.  A  sharp-tongued  Gos- 
sip. 

CouciAR,  Eaglk,  Buffalo,  Ant,  and  Caribou. 

WiK-SAH-KK-c  HACK.  Legendary  God  of  the  Indians, 
who  could  change  himself  into  an  animal  at  will. 

Francois,  French  Half-breed  Trapper. 

NiCHEMous,  Half-breed  hunter  who  tried  to  kill  Muskwa. 

Trappers,  Half-breeds,  and  Train  Dogs. 

Rod,  The  Boy.  Son  of  Donald  MacGiegor,  formerly 
Factor  to  Hudson's  Bay  Company  at  Fort  Resolution. 

When  Rod  was  a  little  chap,  Mooswa  had  been  brought  into 
Fort  Resohition  as  a  calf,  his  mother  having  been  killed,  and  they 
became  playmates.  Then  MacGregor  was  moved  to  Edmonton, 
and  Rod  was  brought  up  in  civiliz-ation  until  he  was  fourteen,  when 
lie  got  permission  to  go  back  to  the  Athabasca  for  a  Winter's 
trapping  with  Francois,  who  was  an  old  servant  of  the  Factor's. 
This  story  is  of  that  Winter.  Mooswa  had  been  turned  loose  in 
the  forest  by  Factor  MacGregor  when  leaving  the  Fort. 

The  Boundaries.  The  great  Spruce  forests  and 
Muskeg  lands  lying  between  the  Saskatchewan  River, 
the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  the  Rocky  Mountains — being 
the  home  of  the  fur-bearing  animals. 


;j 


1 


;^ 


lRIES 

ed  Gos- 


[ndians, 
ill. 

iuskwa. 


ormerly 
olut 


ion. 


ught  into 
and  tliey 
Imonton, 
en,  when 
Winter's 
Factor's, 
loose  in 


;ts  and 
I  River, 
—  being 


Mooswa 

And  Others  of  the  Boundaries 


''1 
■m 


And 


THE 
ou 

ripened  !• 
vine,  and 
straight-gi 
heart-shap 
ereigns  th 
branches  t 
—  a  fairy 
crimson  n: 
grass  and 
Oh,  bu 
Boundarie 
which  stre 
the  Peace 
the  bould' 
beautiful, 
the  soft  ni 
of  silver  ai 


lill! 


Mooswa 

And  Others  of  the  Boundaries 


CHOOSING   THE   KING 

THE  short,  hot  Summer,  with  its  long-drawn- 
out  days  full  of  coaxing  sunshine,  had 
ripened  Nature's  harvest  of  purple-belled  pea- 
vine,  and  yellow-blossomed  gaillardia,  and  tall 
straight-growing  moose  weed ;  had  turned  the 
heart-shaped  leaves  of  the  poplars  into  new  sov- 
ereigns that  fell  with  softened  clink  from  the 
branches  to  earth,  waiting  for  its  brilliant  mantle 
—  a  fairy  mantle  all  splashed  blood-red  by 
crimson  maple  woven  in  a  woof  of  tawny  bunch- 
grass  and  lace-fronded  fern. 

Oh,  but  it  was  beautiful !  that  land  of  the 
Boundaries,  where  Black  Fox  was  King;  and 
which  stretched  from  the  Saskatchewan  to  where 
the  Peace  first  bounded  in  splashing  leaps  from 
the  boulder-lined  foothills  of  the  Rockies ;  all 
beautiful,  spruce-forested,  and  muskeg-dotted  — 
the  soft  muskegs  knee  deep  under  a  moss  carpet 
of  silver  and  green. 


MOOSWA 


The  Saskatoons,  big  hrotlicr  to  the  Huckle- 
berry, were  drying  on  the  l)ush  where  they  had 
ripened ;  the  Raspberries  had  grown  red  in  their 
time  and  gladdened  the  heart  of  Muskwa,  the 
Bear;  the  Currants  clustered  like  strings  of  black 
pearls  in  the  cool  beds  of  la/y  streams,  where 
pin-tailed  Grouse,  and  Pheasant  in  big,  red  cravat, 
strutted  and  crouked  in  this  glorious  feeding- 
ground  so  like  a  miniature  vineyard ;  the  Cran- 
berries nestled  shyly  in  the  moss ;  and  the  Wolf 
and  Willow-berries  gleamed  like  tiny  white  stars 
along  the  banks  of  the  swift-running,  emerald- 
green  Saskatchewan  and  Athabasca.  All  this 
was  in  the  heritage  land  of  Black  Fox,  and 
Muskwa,  and  Mooswa. 

It  was  at  this  time,  in  the  full  Autumn,  that 
Whisky- Jack  flew  North  and  South,  and  East  and 
West,  and  called  to  a  meeting  the  Dwellers  that 
were  in  the  Boundaries.  This  was  for  the 
choosing  of  their  King,  a  yearly  observance,  and  J 
for  the  settling  of  other  matters. 

When  they  had  gathered.  Black  Fox  greeted 
the  Animals :  — 

"  Good  Year  to  you.  Subjects,  and  much  eat- 
ing, each  unto  his  own  way  of  life  !  " 

Whisky-Jack  preened  his  mischievous  head, 
ruffled  his  blue-gray  feathers,  broke  into  the 
harsh,  cackling  laugh  of  the  Jay,  and  sneered, 


CHOOSING   THF.    KING 


n  their 
va,  the 
f  black 
where 
cravat, 
eeding- 
:  Cran- 
i  Wolf 
::e  stars 
merald- 
Jl  this 
»x,   and 

n,  that 
ast  and 
ers  that 
or  the 
ice,  and 

greeted 

ch  eat- 

head, 
ito  the 
ineered, 


« 


"Fating!  always  of  eating;  and  never  a  more 
beautiful   song  to  you,  or — " 

"  Less  thieving  to  you,  ch,  Mister  Jay," 
growled  Muskwa.  "  You  who  come  by  your 
eating  easily  have  it  not  so  heavily  on  your  mind 
as  we  Toilers." 

"  Well,  let  me  sec,"  continued  Black  Fox,  with 
reflective  dignity,  "  here  Yc  have  all  assembled; 
for  form's  sake  I  will  call  your  names." 

From  Mooswa  to  Wapoos  each  one  of  the 
Dwellers  as  his  name  was  spoken  stepped  forward 
in  the  circle  and  saluted  the  King. 

"  Jack  has  been  a  faithful  messenger,"  said 
Black  King  ;  "  but  where  are  Cougar,  and  Buffalo, 
and  Fagle  ?  " 

"  They  had  notice,  thank  you.  Majesty,  for 
vour  praise.  Cougar  says  the  mountain  is  his 
King,  and  that  he  would  n't  trust  himself  among 
a  lot  of  Plain  Dwellers." 

"  He  's  a  Highway  Robber  and  an  Outlaw,  any- 
way, so  it  does  n't  matter,"  asserted  Carcajou. 

"  You  would  n't  talk  that  way  if  he  were  at 
your  throat,  my  fat  little  Friend,"  lisped  Whisky- 
Jack.  "  Buffalo  is  afraid  of  Man,  and  won't 
come ;  nearly  all  his  brothers  have  been  killed 
off,  and  he  is  hiding  in  the  Spruce  woods  near 
Athabasca  Lake." 

"  I  saw  a  herd  of  them  last  Summer,"  declared 


r: 


MOOSWA 


Mooswa;  "  fine  big  fellows  they  have  grown  to  be, 
too.  Their  hair  is  longer,  and  blacker,  and 
curlier  than  it  was  when  they  were  on  the  Plains. 
There  's  no  more  than  fifty  of  them  left  alive 
in  all  the  North  woods ;  it 's  awful  to  think  of 
how  they  were  slaughtered.  That 's  why  I  stick 
to  the  Timber  Boundaries." 

"  Eagle  won't  come,  Your  Majesty,  because 
Jay's  chatter  makes  his  head  ache,"  declared 
Carcajou. 

"  Blame  me,"  cried  Whisky-Jack,  "if  anybody 
doesn't  turn  up  at  the  meeting  —  say  it's  my 
fault;  I  don't  mind." 

"  You  know  why  we  meet  as  usual  ? "  queried 
Black  Fox,  placing  his  big  white-tipped  brush 
affectedly   about  his  feet. 

"That  they  do,"  piped  Whisky-Jack;  "it's 
because  they  're  afraid  of  losing  their  hides.  I  'ni 
not  —  nobody  tries  to  rob  me." 

"  Worthless  Gabbler  !  "  growled  Muskwa. 


"  Jack  is  right,"  declared  Black  Fox ;   "  if 


we 


do  not  help  each  other  with  the  things  we  have 
learned,  our  warm  coats  will  soon  be  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  White   Men's  Wives." 

"  Is  that  why  the  Men  are  always  chasing  us  ? " 
asked  Beaver,  turning  his  sharp-pointed  head  with 
the  little  bead  eyes  toward  the  King. 

"Not  in  your   case,"  snapped  Whisky-Jack,; 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


"  for  they  eat  you,  old  Fat  Tail.  I  heard  the  two 
White  Men  who  camped  on  our  river  last  Winter 
say  that  your  Brother,  whom  they  caught  when 
they  raided  your  little  round  lodge,  tasted  like 
beefsteak,  whatever  that  is.  —  He,  he !  And 
Frani^ois  the  Guide  ate  his  tail  and  said  it  was 
equal  to  fat  bacon." 

"  Unthinking  Wretch  !  "  cried  Umisk  angrily, 
bringing  his  broad  tail  down  on  a  stone  like  the 
crack  of  a  pistol. 

"  I  picked  his  bones,"  taunted  the  Jay ;  "  he 
was  dead,  and  cooked  too,  so  it  did  n't  matter." 

"  Cannibal  !  "  grunted  Bear. 

"They  eat  you  also,  Muskwa ;  only  when 
they  're  very  hungry  though,  —  they  say  your 
flesh  is  like  bad  pork,  strong  and  tough." 

Black  Fox  interrupted  the  discord.  "  Com- 
rades," he  pleaded,  "  don't  mind  Jack  ;  he 's 
only  a  Jay,  and  you  know  what  chatterers  they 
are.  He  means  well  —  does  he  not  tell  us  when 
the  Trappers  are  coming,  and  where  the  Traps 
are  r 

"  Yes,  and  steal  the  Bait  so  you  won't  get 
caught,"  added  Jay.  "  Oh,  I  am  good  —  I  help 
you.  You  're  a  lot  of  crawling  fools  —  all  but 
the  King.  You  can  run,  and  fight,  but  you  don't 
know  things.  That's  because  you  don't  asso- 
ciate with  Man,  and  sit  in  his  camp  as  I  do." 


6  MOOSWA 

"  I  *ve  been  in  his  camp,"  asserted  Carcajou, 
picking  up  a  small  stone  slyly  to  shy  at  Jack. 

"  Not  when  he  was  home,"  retorted  the  Jay  ; 
"  you  sneaked  in  to  steal  when  he  was  away." 

"  Stop !  "  commanded  the  King,  angrily.  "  Your 
chatter  spoils  everything,  do  stop  ! " 

Whisky-Jack  spread  his  feathers  till  he  looked 
like  a  woollen  ball,  and  subsided. 

"This  is  the  end  of  the  year,"  continued  Black 
Fox,  "  and  the  great  question  is,  are  you  satis- 
fied with  the  rule  —  is  it  good?" 

Wolverine  spoke  :  "  I  have  been  Lieutenant 
to  the  Black  King  for  four  years  —  I  am  satis- 
fied. W^hen  our  enemies,  the  Trappers,  have 
tried  to  catch  us  by  new  wiles  His  Majesty  has 
told  us  how  to  escape." 

"  Did  he,  always  ^  "  demanded  the  Bird. 
"  Who  knew  of  the  little  White  Powder  that 
Francois  put  in  the  Meat  —  the  White  Medicine 
Powder  he  had  in  a  bottle  ?  Neither  you.  Car- 
cajou, nor  Black  King,  nor  anyone  tasted  that  — 
did  you  ?  Even  now  you  do  not  know  the  name 
of  it;  but  I  can  tell  you  —  it 's  strychnine.  Ha, 
ha  !  but  that  was  funny.  They  put  it  out,  and 
I,  Whisky-Jack,  whom  you  call  a  Tramp,  told 
you.  I,  Jack  the  Gabbler,  flew  till  my  wings 
were  tired  warning  you  to  beware." 

"You  might  have  saved  yourself  the  trouble," 


.iiii 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


retorted  V/olverine;  "Black  King  would  have 
found  it  with  his  nose.  Can  he  not  tell  even 
if  any  Man  has  touched  the  Meat  that  is  always 
a  Bait?" 

''  Stupid  !  "  exclaimed  Jack  ;  "  do  you  think 
the  Men  are  such  fools  ?  They  handle  not  the 
Bait  which  is  put  in  the  Traps  —  they  know  that 
all  the  brains  you  chaps  have  are  in  your  noses. 
Catch  Fran9ois,  the  Half-breed,  doing  that ;  he  's 
too  clever.  He  cuts  it  with  a  long  knife,  and 
handles  it  with  a  stick.  The  little  White  Powder 
that  is  the  essence  of  death  is  put  in  a  hole  in 
the  Meat.  I  know  ;  I  've  seen  them  at  it. 
Haven't  their  Train-Dogs  noses  also  —  and 
did  n't  two  of  them  that  time  eat  the  Bait,  and 
die  before  they  had  travelled  the  length  of  a 
Rabbit-run.  I  saw  them — they  grew  stiff  and 
quiet,  like  the  White  Man  who  fell  in  the  snow 
last  Winter  when  he  was  lost.  But  I  'm  satis- 
fied with  Black  Fox ;  and  you  can  be  his  Lieu- 
tenant—  I  don't  care." 

"  Yes,"  continued  Carcajou,  "  who  among  us 
is  more  fitted  to  be  King  ?  Muskwa  is  strong, 
and  big,  and  brave  ;  but  soon  he  will  go  into 
his  house,  and  sleep  until  Spring.  What  would 
become  of  us  with  no  King  for  months  ?  " 

"Yes,  I'm  sleepy,"  answered  Bear  —  "and 
tired.     I  've    tramped   up   and   down   the   banks 


("■' 


lit  ^] 


8 


MOOSWA 


4- 


of  the  river  eating  white  Buffalo- berries  and  red 
Cranberries  until  I  'm  weary.  They  are  so  small, 
and  I  am  so  big ;  it  keeps  me  busy  all  day." 

"  You  Ve  got  stout  on  it,"  chuckled  Jack. 
"  I   wish    I    could  get  fat." 

"  You  talk  too  much,  and  fret  yourself  to  death 
over  other  people's  business,"  growled  Bear. 
"You're  a   meddling  Tramp." 

"  Muskwa,"  said  Mink,  "there  are  bushels 
and  bushels  of  big,  juicy.  Black  Currants  up  in 
the  Muskeg,  near  the  creek  I  fish  in  —  I  wish  I 
could  eat  them.  Swimming,  swimming  all  day 
after  little  frightened  Fish,  that  are  getting  so 
cunning.  Why,  they  hide  under  sticks,  and  get 
up  in  shallow  water  among  the  stones,  so  that  I 
can  hardly  see  them.  It  must  be  pleasant  to  sit 
up  on  your  quarters,  nice  and  dry,  pull  down  the 
bushes  and  eat  great,  juicy  Berries.  I  wish  I 
lived  on   fruit." 

"  No  you  don't,"  snarled  Jay ;  "  you  'd  sell 
your  Mother  for  a  fish." 

"If  you're  quite  through  wrangling,"  inter- 
rupted Wolverine,  "  I  '11  go  on  talking  about 
the  King.  Who  is  better  suited  than  Black 
Fox  ?  Is  it  Mooswa.''  He  would  make  a  very 
magnificent-looking  King.  See  his  great  horns. 
He  would  protect  us — just  now;  but  do  you 
not  know  that  in  the  Spring  they  will  drop  off. 


and  our 
hands  all 
won't  loo 
Then  the 
all  covere 
again  are 
thing  witi 
body  thai 
Mooswac 
put  his  r 
grass,  bee; 
"  I  wisl 
tired  of  th 
leaves  an 
sweet  and 
made  this 

"  No, 
"  you  're  s 
horns  in 
much  witl 
you  've  ju 
seen  Men 
at  Slave  I 
want  you 

The  Bii 
and  forth 
fore-foot  ( 
Black  n 


>a 


iMl 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


and  our  Comrade  will  be  like  a  Man  without 
hands  all  Summer.  Why,  even  his  own  Wife 
won't  look  at  him  while  he  is  in  that  condition. 
Then  the  young  horns  come  out  soft  and  pulpy, 
all  covered  with  velvet,  and  until  they  get  hard 
again  are  tender,  and  he  's  afraid  to  strike  any- 
thing with  them.  You  see,  we  must  have  some- 
body that  is  King  all  the  year  round.  Why, 
Mooswa  could  n't  tell  us  about  the  Bait;  he  can't 
put  his  nose  to  the  ground  ;  he  can't  even  eat 
grass,  because  of  his  short  neck." 

"  I  wish  I  could,"  sighed  the  Moose.  "  I  get 
tired  of  the  purple-headed  Moose-weed,  and  the 
leaves  and  twigs.  The  young  grass  looks  so 
sweet  and  fresh.  But  Carcajou  is  right ;  I  was 
made  this  way — I  don't  know  why,  though." 

"No,  you  weren't!"  objected  Whisky-Jack ; 
"  you  're  such  a  lordly  chap  when  you  get  your 
horns  in  good  order,  and  have  gone  around  so 
much  with  that  big  nose  stuck  up  in  the  air,  that 
you've  just  got  into  that  shape —  He,  he  !  I  've 
seen  Men  like  you.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Factor, 
at  Slave  Lake,  is  just  your  sort.  Bah  !  I  don't 
want  you  for  a  King." 

The  Bull  Moose  waved  his  tasselled  beard  back 
and  forth  angrily,  and  stamped  a  sharp,  powerful 
fore-foot  on  the  ground  like  a  trip-hammer. 

Black  Fox  interfered    again.     "  Why  do    you 


iifc,; 


lO 


MOOSWA 


make  everybody  angry,  you  silly  Bird  ?  "  he  said 
to  the  Jay.  "  Do  you  lec<rn  this  bitter  talk  from 
listening  to  your  Men  friends  while  you  are  wait- 


ing: for  their 


>g 


Perhi 


scrapj 


I  1( 


thi 


from  th( 


earn  man) 

and  you  learn  from  me.  But  go  on,  Bully  Car- 
cajou. Tell  us  all  why  we  're  not  fit  to  be  Kings. 
Perhaps  Rof,  there,  would  like  to  hear  of  his 
failings." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  King,"  growled  Rof,  the 
big  Blue  Wolf,  surlily. 

"  No,  your  manners  are  against  you,"  sneered 
Jack  ;  "  you  'd  do  better  as  executioner." 

"  Well,"  commenced  Carcajou,  taking  up  the 
challenge,  "  to  tell  you  the  truth,  we  're  all  just  a 
little  afraid  of  Rof  We  don't  want  a  despotic 
Ruler  if  we  can  help  it.  I  don't  wish  to  hurt  his 
feelings,  but  when  Blue  Wolf  got  hungry  his 
subjects  might  suffer." 

"  I  don't  want  him  for  King,"  piped  Mink ; 
"  his  jaws  are  too  strong  and  his  legs  too  long." 

"  Oh,  I  could  n't  stay  here,"  declared  Blue 
Wolf,  "  and  manage  things  for  you  fellows. 
Next  month  I  'm  going  away  down  below  Grand 
Rapids.  My  Brother  has  been  hunting  there 
with  a  Pack  of  twenty  good  fellows,  and  says  the 
Rabbits  are  so  thick  that  he's  actually  getting 
fat ;"  and  Wolf  licked  his  steel  jaws  with  a  hun- 


gry mo^ 

big  iolli 

"Yoi 


(( 


CHOOSmC   THE    KING 


II 


gry  movement  that  made  them  all  shudder.  His 
big  lolling  tongue  looked  like  a  firebrand. 

"  You  need  n't  fret,"  squeaked  Jay  ;  "  we  don't 
want  you.  We  don't  want  a  rowdy  Ruler.  I 
saw  you  fighting  with  the  Train  Dogs  over  at 
Wapiscaw  last  Winter.  You  're  as  disgraceful  as 
any  domestic  cur." 

"Now,  Pisew  —  "  began  Carcajou. 

As  he  mentioned  the  Lynx's  name,  a  smile 
went  round  the  meeting.  Whisky-Jack  took  a 
fit  of  chuckling  laughter,  until  he  fell  off  his 
perch.  This  made  him  cranky  in  an  instant. 
"  Of  all  the  silly  Sneaks  !  "  he  exclaimed  scorn- 
fully, as  he  fluttered  up  on  a  small  Jack-pine,  and 
stuck  out  his  ruffled  breast.  "  That  Spear-eared 
Creature  for  King!  Oh,  my!  Oh,  my!  that's 
too  rich  !  He  'd  have  you  all  catching  Rabbits 
for  him  to  eat.  Kings  are  great  gourmands,  I 
know,  but  they  don't  eat  Field  Mice,  and  Frogs, 
and  Snails,  and  trash  of  that  sort  —  not  raw, 
anyway." 

Carcajou  proceeded  more  gravely  with  his  ob- 
jection. "  As  I  said  before,  this  is  purely  a  mat- 
ter of  business  with  us  ;  and  anything  I  say  must 
not  be  taken  as  a  personal  affi-ont." 

"  Of  course  not,  of  course  not,"  interrupted 
Jack.  "  Go  on  with  your  candid  observations. 
Hump-back." 


12 


MOOSWA 


(C 


13 


We  all  know  our  Friend's  weakness  for  per- 
fume," continued  Wolverine. 

"  Do  you  call  Castoreum  a  perfume?"  ques- 
tioned Whisky-Jack.  "It's  a  vile,  diabolical 
stink  —  that's  what  it  is.  Why,  the  Trappers 
won't  keep  it  in  their  Shacks  —  it  smells  so  bad ; 
they  bury  it  outside.  Nobody  but  a  gaunt, 
brainless  creature,  like  the  Cat  there,  would  risk 
his  neck  for  a  whiff  of  that  horrible-smelling 
stuff." 

"  Order  !  "  commanded  Black  King ;  "  you  get 
so  personal.  Jack.  You  know  that  our  Comrade, 
Beaver,  furnishes  the  Castoreum,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  and  he  ought  to  be  ashamed 
of  it." 

"  It's  not  my  fault,"  declared  Umisk  ;  "  your 
friends,  the  cruel  Trappers,  don't  get  it  from  us 
till  we  're  dead." 

"  Well,  never  mind  about  that,"  objected  Car- 
cajou. "We  know,  and  the  Trappers  know, 
that  Lynx  is  the  easiest  caught  of  all  our  fellows  ; 
if  he  were  our  King  they  'd  snare  him  in  a  week 
—  then  we'd  be  without  a  Ruler.  We  must 
have  some  one  that  not  only  can  take  care  of 
us,  but  of  himself  too." 

"  Pisew  can't  do  that — he  can't  take  care  of 
his  own  family,"  twittered  Jay.  "  His  big  furry 
feet    make  a    trail    in    the   snow  like    Panther's, 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


13 


and  then  when  you  come  up  to  him,  he  's  just 
a  great  starved  Cat,  with  less  brains  than  a 
Tadpole." 

Carcajou  suddenly  reared  on  his  hind  quarters 
and  let  fly  the  stone  with  his  short,  strong,  right 
arm  at  the  Bird.  "  Evil  Chatterer !  "  he  ex- 
claimed angrily,  "  you  are  always  making  mis- 
chief." 

Jack  hopped  nimbly  to  one  side,  cocked  his 
saucy  silvered  head  downward,  and  piped :  "  Pro- 
ceed with  the  meeting ;  the  f^rince  of  all  Mis- 
chief-makers, Carcajou,  the  Devil  of  the  Woods, 
lectures  us  on  morality." 

"  Yes,  let  us  proceed  with  the  discussion," 
commanded  Black  Fox. 

"  Brothers,"  said  the  Moose,  in  a  voice  that 
was  strangely  plaintive,  coming  from  such  a  big, 
deep  throat,  "  I  am  satisfied  with  Black  Fox  for 
King  ;  but  if  anything  were  to  happen  requiring 
us  to  choose  another,  one  of  almost  equal  wis- 
dom, I  should  like  to  nominate  Beaver.  We 
know  that  when  the  world  was  destroyed  by  the 
great  flood,  and  there  was  nothing  but  water,  that 
Umisk  took  a  little  mud,  made  it  into  a  ball  with 
his  handy  tail,  and  the  ball  grew,  and  they  built 
it  up  until  it  became  dry  land  again.  Wiesahke- 
chack  has  told  us  all  about  that.  I  have  travelled 
from  the  Athabasca  across  Peace  River,  and  up 


H 


MOOSWA 


r  '! 


to  the  foothills  of  the  big  mountains,  to  the 
head-waters  of  the  Smoky,  and  have  seen  much 
of  Brother  Umisk's  clever  work,  and  careful,  cau- 
tious way  of  life.  I  never  heard  any  one  cay  a 
word  against  his  honesty." 

"  That 's  something,"  interrupted  Jay  ;  "  that  *s 
more  than  can  be  said  for  many  of  us." 

The  big  melancholy  eyes  of  the  Moose  simply 
blinked  solemnly,  and  he  proceeded :  "  Brother 
Umisk  has  constructed  dams  across  streams,  and 
turned  miles  of  forest  into  rich,  moist  Muskeg, 
where  the  loveliest  long  grasses  grow  —  most  de- 
licious eating.  These  dams  are  like  the  great  hard 
roads  you  have  seen  the  White  Men  cut  through 
our  country  to  pull  their  stupid  carts  over ;  I 
can  cross  the  softest  Muskeg  on  one  and  my 
sharp  hoofs  hardly  bury  to  the  fetlock.  Is  that 
not  work  worthy  of  an  Animal  King  ?  And  he 
has  more  forethought,  more  care  for  the  Winter, 
than  any  of  us.  Some  of  you  have  seen  his  stock 
of  food." 

"  I  have,"  eagerly  interrupted  Nekik,  the 
Otter. 

"  And  I,"  said  Fisher. 

"  I  too,  Mooswa,"  cried  Mink. 

"  I  have  seen  it,"  quoth  Muskrat ;  "  it 's  just 
beautiful  !  " 

"  You  tell  them  about  Umisk's  food  supply. 


i 


1 
1 

m 


CHOOSING   THE    KING  15 

Brother  Muskrat,"  commanded  the  Moose.  "  I 
can't  dive  under  the  water  like  you  and  see  it 
ready  stored,  but  I  have  observed  the  trees  cut 
down  by  his  chisel-teeth." 

"  You  make  me  blush,"  remonstrated  Beaver, 
modestly. 

"  Beautiful  White  Poplar  trees,"  went  on 
Mooswa ;  "  and  always  cut  so  they  fall  just 
on  the  edge  of  the  stream.  Is  that  not  clever 
for  one  of  us?     Man  can't  do  it  every  time." 

"Trowel  Tail  only  cuts  the  leaning  trees  — 
that 's  why  !  "  explained  Whisky-Jack. 

Mooswa  was  too  haughty  to  notice  the  inter- 
ruption, but  continued  his  laudation  of  Beaver's 
cunning  work. 

"  Then  our  Brother  Umisk  cuts  the  Poplar 
into  pieces  the  length  of  my  leg ;  and,  while  I 
think  of  it,  I  'd  like  to  ask  him  why  he  leaves  on 
the  end  of  each  stick  a  piece  like  the  handle  of  a 
rolling-pin." 

"  What 's  a  roUing-piii  ?  "  gasped  Jay. 

"  Something  the  Cook  throws  at  your  head 
when  you  're  trying  to  steal  his  dinner,"  interjected 
Carcajou. 

Lynx  laughed  maliciously  at  this  thrust.  "Is  n't 
Wolverine  a  witty  chap  ?  "  he  said,  fawningly,  to 
Blue  Wolf 

"  I  know  what  that  cunning  little  end  is  for," 


i6 


MOOSWA 


declared  Muskrat ;  "  I  Ml  tell  you  what  Beaver 
does  with  the  sticks  under  water,  and  then  you  Ml 
understand." 

Black  King  yawned  as  though  all  this  bored 
him.  "He  doesn't  like  to  hear  his  rival 
praised,"  sneered  Whisky-Jack  ;  "  it  makes  him 
sleepy." 

"  Well,"  continued  Wuchusk,  "Beaver  floats 
the  Poplar  down  to  his  pond,  to  a  little  place  just 
up  stream  from  his  lodge,  with  a  nice,  soft  bottom. 
There  he  dives  swiftly  with  each  piece,  and  the 
small  round  end  you  speak  of,  Mooswa,  sticks  in 
the  mud,  see?  Oh,  it  is  clever;  I  wish  I  could 
do  it,  —  but  I  can't.  I  have  to  rummage  around 
all  Winter  for  my  dinner.  All  the  sticks  stand 
there  close  together  on  end ;  the  ice  forms  on  top 
of  the  water,  and  nobody  can  see  them.  When 
Umisk  wants  his  dinner,  he  swims  up  the  pond, 
selects  a  nice,  fat,  juicy  Poplar,  pulls  it  out  of  the 
mud,  floats  it  in  the  front  door  of  his  pretty, 
round-roofed  lodge,  strips  o'^  the  rough  covering, 
and  eats  the  white,  mealy  inner-bark.  It's 
delicious  !     No  wonder  Beaver  is  fat." 

"  I  should  think  it  would  be  indigestible,"  said 
Lynx.  "  But  is  n't  Umisk  kind  to  his  family  — 
dear  little  Chap  !  " 

"  Must  be  hard  on  the  teeth,"  remarked  Mink. 
"  I  find  fishbones  tough  enough." 


m 


CHOOSING    THK    KING 


17 
"I 


"  Oh,  it 's  just  lovely  !  "  sighed   Beaver. 

like  it." 

"  What  do  you  do  with  the  logs  after  you  Ve 
eaten  the  crust?"  asked  Black  King,  pretending 
to  be  interested. 

"  Float  them  down  against  the  dam,"  answered 
Beaver.  "They  come  in  handy  for  repairing 
breaks." 

"  What  breaks  the  dam  ? "  mumbled  Blue 
Wolf,  gruffly. 

"  I  know,"  screamed  Jay;  "the  Trappers.  I 
saw  PVan9ois  knock  a  hole  in  one  last  Winter. 
That's  how  he  caught  your  cousins,  Umisk, 
when  they  rushed   to  fix  the  break." 

"How  do  you  know  when  it's  damaged, 
Beaver  ?  "  queried  Mooswa.  "  Supposing  it  was 
done  when  you  were  asleep  —  you  don't  make 
your  bed  in  the  water,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  we  have  a  nice,  dry  shelf  all  around  on 
the  inside  of  the  lodge,  just  above  —  we  call  it 
the  second-story  ;  but  we  keep  our  tails  in  the 
water  always,  so  as  soon  as  it  commences  to  lower 
we  feel  it,  you  know." 

"  That  is  wise,"  gravely  assented  Mooswa. 
"  Have  I  not  said  that  Umisk  is  almost  as  clever 
as  our  King  ?  " 

"  He  may  be,"  chirruped  Jay  ;  "  but  Fran9ois 
never   caught    the  Black    King,  and    he  catches 


■m 


i8 


MOOSWA 


;l  > 
<1  ' 
'I 


many  Beaver.  Last  winter  he  took  out  a  Pack 
of  their  thick,  brown  coats,  and  I  heard  him  say- 
there  were  fifty   pelts  in  it." 

"That's  just  it,"  concurred  Carcajou.  '*  I  ad- 
mire Umisk  as  much  as  anybody.  He 's  an 
honest,  hard-working  Uttle  chap,  and  looks  after 
his  family  and  relations  better  than  any  of  us ; 
but  if  there  was  any  trouble  on  we  couldn't  con- 
sult him,  for  at  the  first  crack  of  a  Firestick,  or 
bark  of  a  Train  Dog,  he  's  down  under  the  water, 
and  either  hidden  away  in  his  lodge,  or  in  one  of 
the  many  hiding-holes  he  has  dug  in  the  banks 
for  just  such  emergencies.  We  must  have  some 
one  who  can  get  about  and  warn  us  all." 

"  I  object  to  him  because  he 's  got  Fleas," 
declared  Jay,  solemnly. 

"  Fleas !  "  a  chorus  of  voices  exclaimed  in 
indignant  protest. 

The  Coyote,  who  had  been  digging  viciously  at 
the  back  of  his  ear  with  a  sharp-clawed  foot, 
dropped  his  leg,  got  up,  and  stretched  himself, 
with  a  yawn,  hoping  that  nobody  had  observed 
his  petulant  scratching. 

"  That's  silly  !  "  declared  Mooswa.  *'  A  chap 
that  lives  under  the  water  have  Fleas  ?  " 

"Is  it.?"  piped  Whisky-Jack.  "What's  his 
thick  fur  coat,  with  the  strong,  black  guard-hairs 
for  ?       Do  you    suppose  that  does  n't    keep  his 


'^ 


hide  dry  : 

in  a  stiffs 

won't,  the 

he  has  n't 

his  left  hi 

"  Perha 

Fisher  — 

"  Nor  I 

"My  n 

"  Look 

me,"  comi 

1  '11  take  ; 

him  King 

This  mi 

I  show  our  ( 

manded  B( 


Umisk  1 
I 
'^sure  enoug 

.ulouble  cla 


tell 


you 


? 


H 


|wi^h  that 
Trout. 
1  Fleas,  iias 
little  bettei 
il)e  above 
"  This 
[angrily,  for 
ing  to  do 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


19 


hide  dry  ?  If  one  of  you  land-dwellers  were  out 
in  a  stift' shower  you'd  be  wet  to  the  skin;  but  he 
won't,  though  he  stay  under  water  a  month.  If 
he  has  n't  got  Fleas,  what  is  that  double  nail  on 
his  left  hind-foot  for  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  he  has  n't  got  a  split-nail,"  ventured 
Fisher  —  "I  haven't." 
"  Nor  I  ! "  declared  Mink. 
"  My  nails  are  all  single  !  "  asserted  Muskrat. 
"  Look    for    yourselves  if   you    don't    believe 
me,"  commanded  Jack.     "  If  he  has  n't  got   it, 
1  '11  take  back  what   I   said,  and  you  can  make 
him  King  if  you  wish." 

This  made   Black   Fox  nervous.     "  Will  you 
I  show  our  Comrades  your  toes,  please  ?  "  he  com- 
manded Beaver,  with  great  politeness. 

Umisk  held  up  his  foot  deprecatingly.  There 
Isure  enough,  on  the  second  toe,  was  a  long,  black, 
double  claw,  like  a  tiny  pincers.  "  What  did  I 
tell  you  ?  "  shrieked  Jack.  "  He  can  pin  a  Flea 
with  that  as  easily  as  Mink  seizes  a  wriggling 
iTrout.  He's  got  half-a-dozen  different  kinds  of 
Fleas,  lias  Umisk.  I  won't  have  a  King  who  is 
llittle  better  than  a  bug-nursery.  A  King  must 
[be  above  that  sort  of  thing." 

"This  is  all  nonsense,"  exclaimed  Carcajou 
[angrily,  for  he  had  fleas  himself;  "  it 's  got  noth- 
ling  to  do  with  the  matter.     Umisk  has  to  live 


( 


im 


20 


MOOSWA 


under  the  ice  nearly  all  Winter,  and  would  be  of 
no  more  service  to  us  than  Muskwa  —  that  *s  the 
real  objection." 

"  My  ! "  cried  Beaver,  patting  the  ground 
irritably  with  his  trowel-tail,  "  one  really  never 
knows  just  how  vile  he  is  till  he  gets  running  for 
office.  Besides,  I  don't  want  to  be  King  —  I  'm 
too  busy.  Perhaps  sometime  when  I  was  here 
governing  the  Council,  Francois,  or  another 
enemy,  would  break  my  dam  and  murder  the 
whole  family  ;  besides,  it 's  too  dusty  out  here  — 
I  like  the  nice,  clean  water.  My  feet  get  sore 
walking  on  the  land." 

"  Oh,  he  does  n't  want  to  be  King !  "  declared 
Jay,  ironically.  "  Next!  next !  Who  else  is  there, 
Frog-legged  Carcajou  ^ " 

"Well,  there's  Muskrat,"  suggested  Lynx; 
"  I  like  him." 

"  Yes,  to  eat !  "  interrupted  Whisky-Jack. 
"  If  Wuchusk  were  King,  we  'd  come  home  some 
day  and  find  that  he  'd  been  eaten  by  one  of  his 
own  subjects  —  by  the  sneaking  Lynx  —  *  Slink' 
it  should  be." 

"  You  should  n't  say  that,"  declared  Black  Fox; 
"  because  you  're  our  Mail  Carrier  you  should  n't  m 
take  so  many  liberties." 

"I'm  only   telling  the  truth.     It   has  always! 
been  the  custom   at  these  meetings  for  each  one  3 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


21 


to  speak  just  what  he  thought,  and  no  hard  feel- 
ings afterward." 

Carcajou  pulled  his  long,  curved  claws  through 
his  whiskers  reflectively.  "  What 's  the  use  of 
wrangling  Hke  this  —  we're  as  silly  as  a  lot  of 
Men.  Last  Winter  when  I  was  down  at  Grand 
Rapids  I  sat  up  on  the  roof  of  a  Shack  listening 
to  those  two-legged  creatures  squabbling.  They 
were  all  arguing  fiercely  about  the  different  ways 
of  getting  to  Heaven.  According  to  each  one 
he  was  on  the  right  road,  and  the  rest  were  all 
wrong.  Fresh  Meat !  but  it  was  stupid  ;  for  I 
gathered  from  what  they  said  that  the  one  way  to 
get  there  was  to  be  good  ;  only  each  had  a  differ- 
ent way." 

"  What  place  did  you  say  ?  "  queried  the  Jay. 

"  Grand  Rapids." 

"  No,  no  !  the  place  they  all  wanted  to  go  to." 

"  Heaven." 

"Where's  that?" 

"  I  don't  know,  and  you  needn't  bother;  for 
the  Men   said  it  was  a  place  for  the  good,  only." 

Beaver's  fat  sides  fairly  shook  as  he  chuckled 
delightedly  over  the  snub  Carcajou  had  given  Jack. 

"  Ha,  ha  !  "  roared  Bear;  "  Sweet  Berries  !  but 
Humpback  is  too  many  for  you.  Birdie,"  and  the 
woods  echoed  with  his  laughter. 

"  Rats  !  "  screamed  the  Jay  ;  "  that 's  the  sub- 


igmum 


22 


MOOSWA 


I':  % 


lii' 


(( 


C( 


ject  under  discussion.  Our  friend  wanders  from 
his  theme  trying  to  be  personal." 

"  Oh,  nobody  's  personal    here,"  sighed   Lynx. 

I  'm  a  '  Slink,'  but  that  does  n't  count." 

"  Yes,  talking  of  Rats,"  recommenced  Carcajou, 

like  L.ynx,  I  admire  our  busy  little  Brother, 
Beaver,  though  I  never  ate  one  in  my  life  — " 

"  Pisew  did  !  "  chirruped  the  bird-voice  from 
over  their  heads. 

"  Thouph  I  never  ate  one,"  solemnly  repeated 
Wolverine;  "but  if  Umisk  won't  do  for  King, 
there  is  no  use  discussing  Wuchusk's  chances. 
He  has  all  Trowel  Tail's  failings,  without  his 
great  wisdom,  and  even  can't  build  a  decent 
house,  though  he  lives  in  one.  Half  the  time 
he  has  n't  anything  to  eat  for  his  family  ;  you'll 
see  him  skirmishing  about  Winter  or  Summer, 
eating  Roots,  or,  like  our  friends  Mink  and  Otter, 
chasing  Fish.  Anyway,  I  get  tired  of  that  hor- 
rible odour  of  musk  always.  His  house  smells 
as  bad  as  a  Trapper's  Shack  with  piles  of  fur  in 
it  —  I  hate  people  who  use  musk,  it  shows  bad 
taste ;  and  to  carry  a  little  bag  of  it  around  with 
one  all  the  time  —  it's  detestable  !  " 

"  You  should  take  a  trip  to  the  Barren  Lands, 
my  fastidious  friend,  as  I  did  once,"  interposed 
Mooswa,  "  and  get  a  whiff  of  the  Musk  Hx. 
Much  Fodder  !  it  turned  my  stomach." 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


23 


"  You  took  too  much  of  it,  old  Blubber- 
nose,"  yelled  Jay,  fiendishly;  "Wolverine  hasn't 
got  a  nose  like  the  head  of  a  Sturgeon  Fish. 
Anyway,  you're  out  of  it.  Mister  Rat;  if  the 
Lieutenant  says  you  're  not  fit  for  King,  why 
you're  not  —  I   must  say  I  'm  glad  of  it." 

"  There  are  still  the  two  cousins.  Otter  and 
Mink,"  said  Carcajou. 

"  Fish  Thieves  —  both  of  them,"  declared 
Whisky-Jack.  "  So  is  Fisher,  only  he  has  n't 
nerve  to  go  in  the  water  after  Fish  ;  he  waits  till 
Man  catches  and  dries  them,  then  robs  the  cache. 
That's  why  they  call  him  Fisher — they  should 
name  him   Fish-stealer." 

"  Look  here.  Jack,"  retorted  Wolverine,  "last 
Winter  I  heard  Francois  say  that  you  stole  even 
his  soap." 

"  I  thought  it  was  butter,"  chuckled  Jay  — 
"  it  made  me  horribly  sick.  But  their  butter 
was  so  bad,  I  thought  the  soap  was  an  extra 
good   pat  of  it." 

"  I  may  say,"  continued  Carcajou,  "  that  these 
two  cousins.  Otter  and  Mink,  like  Muskrat,  have 
too  limited  a  knowledge  for  either  to  be  Chief  of 
the  Boundaries.  While  they  know  all  about 
streams  and  water  powers,  they  'd  be  lost  on 
land.  Why,  in  deep  snow,  Nekik  with  his 
short,  little  legs  makes  a  track  as  though  some- 


24 


MOOSWA 


f  1 


VI 


body  had  pulled  a  log   along — that  wouldn't 


I  d( 


be  Ki 


declared  Otter. 


t  want 

"  Nor  I  !  "  added  Mink.' 

"And  we  don't  want  you  —  so  that  settles 
it ;  all  agreed !  "  cried  Whisky-Jack,  gleefully. 
"  Nothing  like  having  peace  and  harmony  in 
the  meeting.  It  always  comes  to  the  same  thing: 
people's  names  arr  put  up,  they  're  blackguarded 
and  abused,  and  in  the  end  nobody  's  fit  for  the 
billet  but  Black  Fox ;  and  Carcajou,  of  course,  is 
his  Lieutenant." 

"  We  have  now  considered  everybody's  claims," 
began  Carcajou  — 

"  You  *ve  modestly  forgotten  yourself,"  inter- 
rupted Whisky-Jack.  "You'd  make  a  fine,  fat, 
portly  Ruler." 

"  No,  I  withdraw  in  favour  of  Black  Fox,  and 
we  won't  even  mention  your  name.  Black  Fox 
has  be^n  a  good  King ;  he  has  saved  many  of 
us  from  a  Trap  ;  besides,  he  wears  the  Royal 
Robe.  Look  at  him!  his  Mother  and  all  his 
Brothers  and  Sisters  are  red,  except  Stripes,  the 
Baby,  who  is  a  Cross ;  does  that  not  show  that 
he  has  been  selected  for  royal  honours  ?  Among 
ourselves  each  one  is  like  his  Brother  —  there  is 
little  difference.  The  Minks  are  alike,  the  Otter 
are  alike,  the  Wolves  are  alike  —  all  are  alike; 


( 

except,  of 
or  a  little 
Kin,:  s  mai 
coat ;  and 
hairs  mah 
jackets." 

"It'sju 
sycophantii 
"  I'm  g 
out  Jay  ;  " 
day  for  it. 
worth  to  t 
your  marke 
you." 

"For  th( 

just   now," 

this  busines 

spin  yarns.' 

"Yes,  w( 

"  I  've  got 

select  a   Ch 

and   VVapoc 

not  yet  bee 

dreading   J? 

they  were  r 

"  Well,  tl 

agreed  to  h 

fulness  of  a 


CHOOSING   THE    KING 


25 


except,  of  course,  that  one  may  be  a  little  larger 
or  a  little  darker  than  the  other.  Look  at  the 
Kin  :  s  magnificent  Robe  —  blacker  than  Fisher's 
coat ;  and  the  silver  tip  of  the  white  guard- 
hairs  make  it  more  beautiful  than  any  of  our 
jackets." 

"  It 's  just  lovely  !  "  purred  Pisew,  with  a  fine 
sycophantic  touch. 

"  I  'm  glad   I  have  n't  a  coat  like  that,"  sang 

out  Jay  ;  "  His  Majesty  will  be  assassinated  some 

day  for  it.     Do   you   fellows    know    what    he 's 

worth  to  the  Trappers  —  do  any  of  you   know 

vour  market  value  ^     I  thought  not  —  let  me  tell 
»> 

YOU. 

"For  the  sake  of  a  mild  Winter,  don't —  not 
just  now,"  pleaded  Carcajou.  "  Let  us  settle 
this  business  of  the  King  first,  then  you  can  all 
spin  yarns." 

"Yes,  we're  wasting  time,"  declared  Umisk. 
"  I  've  got  work  to  do  on  my  house,  so  let  us 
select  a  Chief,  by  all  means.  There  's  Coyote, 
and  Wapoos,  and  Sikak  the  Skunk,  who  have 
not  yet  been  mentioned."  But  each  of  these, 
dreading  Jack's  sharp  tongue,  hastily  asserted 
they  were  not  in  the  campaign  as  candidates. 

"  Well,  then,"  asked  Carcajou,  "  are  you  all 
agreed  to  have  Black  Fox  as  Leader  until  the 
fulness  of  another  year?" 


C 


26 


MOOSWA 


(( 


I  'm  satisfied  !  "  said  Bear,  gruffly. 

"  It's  an  honour  to  have  him,"  ventured  Pisew 
the  Lynx. 

"  He  's  a  good  enour^h  King,"  declared  Nekik 
the  Otter. 

"I'm  agreed!"  exclaimed  Beaver;  "I  want 
to  get  home  to  my  work." 

"  Long  live  the  King  ! "   barked  Blue  Wolf. 

"  Long  live  the  King  ! "  repeated  Mink,  and 
Fisher,  and  the  rest  of  them  in  chorus. 

"  Now  that's  settled,"  announced  Wolverine. 

"Thank  you.  Comrades,"  said  Black  Fox; 
"  you  honour  me.  I  will  try  to  be  just,  and  look 
after  you  carefully.  May  1  have  Wolverine  as 
Lieutenant  again .? " 

They  all  agreed  to  this. 


THE  VALUE  OF   THEIR   FUR 


"  I^T  OW  that's  serious  business  enough  for 

lAI  one  day,"  declared  the  King;  "Jack, 
vou  may  tell  us  about  the  fur,  and  perhaps  some 
of  the  others  also  have  interesting  tales  to  relate." 

Whisky-Jack  hopped  down  from  his  perch, 
and  strutted  proudly   about  in   the  circle. 

"  Mink,"  he  began,  snapping  his  beak  to  clear 
his  throat,  "you  can  chase  a  silly,  addle-headed 
Fish  into  the  mud  and  eat  him,  but  you  don't 
know  the  price  of  your  own  coat.  Listen  !  The 
Black  King's  jacket  is  worth  more  than  your 
fur  and  all  the  others  put  together.  1  heard 
the  Factor  at  Wapiscaw  tell  his  clerk  about  it 
last  Winter  when  1  dined  with  him." 

"  You  mean  when  you  dined  with  the  Train 
Dogs,"  sneered  Pisew. 

"  You  '11  dine  with  them  some  day,  and  their 
stomachs  will  be  fuller  than  yours,"  retorted  the 
Bird.  "  Mink,  your  pelt  is  worth  a  dollar  and  a 
half — '  three  skins,'  as  the  Company  Men  say 
when  they  are  trading  with  the  Indians,  for  a  skin 


r 


28 


MOOSWA 


THE 


I. 

,         In 

■  if  ; 


means    fifty    cents.      You  wood-dwellers    did  n't 
know  that,   I    suppose." 

"What  do  they  sell  my  coat  for?"  queried 
Beaver. 

"Six  dollars  —  twelve  skins,  for  a  prime,  dark 
one.  Kit-Beaver,  that's  one  of  your  Babies,  old 
Trowel  Tail,  sells  for  fifty  cents  —  or  is  given 
away.  You,  Fisher,  and  you.  Otter,  are  nip 
and  tuck  —  eight  or  ten  dollars,  according  to 
whether  your  fui  is  black  or  of  a  dirty  cofi-ee 
colour.  But  there 's  Pisew ;  he 's  got  a  hide  as 
big  as  a  blanket,  and  it  sells  for  only  two  dollars. 
Do  you  know  what  they  do  with  your  skin, 
Slink  ^  They  line  long  cloaks  for  the  White 
Wives  with  it ;  because  it 's  soft  and  warm,  — 
also  cheap  and  nasty.  He,  he  !  old  Feather-bed 
Fur. 

"  Now,  Wapistan,  the  Marten,  they  call  a 
little  gentleman.  It 's  wonderful  how  he  has 
grown  in  their  aflPections,  though.  Why,  1  remem- 
ber, five  years  ago  the  Company  was  paying  only 
three  skins  for  prime  Marten  ;  and  what  do  you 
suppose  your  hide  sells  for  now,  wee  Brother?" 

"  Please  don't,"  pleaded  Marten,  "  it 's  a  pain- 
ful subject ;  I  wish  they  could  n't  sell  it  at  all. 
J  'm  almost  afraid  to  touch  anything  to  eat  — 
there's  sure  to  be  a  Trap  underneath.  The  other 
day    I    saw   a    nice,    fat    White  Fish    head,  and 


m 


thought  ^ 
I  reached 
scrap' ng  ; 
close  sha 
teeth  lool- 
got  in  th 
to  do." 

"  So  do 

"  What 
who  knov 

"  Died  ! 

"I  sho 
cousin  of  ] 
still  alive, 
I  wish  m' 

"Oh,  b 
remonstrai 
lining  — 
where  it  w 
Marten,  i; 
Of  cours 
Brother  c 
faded  yell 
three  or  f 
seven  for 
wonder  if 
for  your  ci 

"  1  supj 


:!!      1 


THE    VALUE    OF   THEIR    FUR     29 

thought  Mink  had  left  a  bite  for  me  ;  but  when 
1  reached  for  it,  bang !  went  a  pair  of  steel  jaws, 
scrap' ng  my  very  nose.  Fat  Fish  !  it  was  a 
close  shave — I'm  trembling  yet;  the  jagged 
teeth  looked  so  viciously  cruel.  If  my  leg  had 
got  in  them  1  know  what  I  should  have  had 
to  do." 

"  So  do  I,"  asserted  Jack. 

"  What  would  he  have  done,  Babbler  —  you 
who  know  all  things  ?  "  asked  Lynx. 

"  Died  !  "  solemnly  croaked  Jay. 

"  I  should  have  had  to  cut  off  my  leg,  as  a 
cousin  of  mine  did,"  declared  Wapistan.  "  He's 
still  alive,  but  we  all  help  him  get  a  living  now. 
I  wish  my  skin  was  as  cheap  as   Muskrat's." 

"Oh,  bless  us  !  he  *s  only  worth  fifteen  cents," 
remonstrated  Jack.  "  His  wool  is  but  used  for 
lining  —  put  on  the  inside  of  Men's  big  coats 
where  it  won't  show.  But  your  fur,  dear  Pussy 
Marten,  is  worth  eight  dollars;  think  of  that! 
Of  course  that 's  for  a  prime  pelt.  That 
Brother  of  yours,  sitting  over  there  with  the 
faded  yellow  jacket,  would  n't  fetch  more  than 
three  or  four  at  the  outside;  but  I'll  give  you 
seven  for  yours  now,  and  chance  if  —  should  n't 
wonder  if  you'd  fetch  twelve  when  chey  skin  you, 
for  your  coat  is  nice  and  black." 

"  I  suppose  there  's   no    price  on  your  hide," 


30 


MOOSWA 


t ' , 


whined  l.ynx  ;  "it's  nice  to  be  of  no  value  in 
the  world  —  isn't  it?" 

"  'I'here  's  always  a  price  on  brains ;  but  that 
does  n't  interest  you,  Silly,  does  it  ?  You  're 
not  in  the  market.  Your  understanding  runs 
to  a  fine  discrimination  in  perfumes —  prominent 
odours,  like  Castoreum,  or  dead  Fish.  If  you 
were  a  Man  you  'd  have  been  a  hair-dresser. 

"  Muskwa,  your  pelt's  a  useful  one;  still  it 
does  n't  sell  for  a  very  great  figure.  Last  year  at 
Wapiscaw  I  saw  pictures  on  the  Factor's  walls  of 
men  they  call  Soldiers,  and  they  had  the  queerest, 
great,  tall  head-covers,  made  from  the  skins 
of  cousins  of  yours.  And  the  Factor  also  had  a 
Bear  pelt  on  the  floor,  which  he  said  was  a  good 
one,  worth  twenty  dollars — that's  your  value 
dead,  twenty  dollars. 

"  Mooswa's  shaggy  shirt  is  good;  but  they 
scrape  the  hair  off  and  make  moccasins  of  the 
leather.  Think  of  that.  Weed-eater ;  perhaps 
next  year  the  Trappers  will  be  walking  around  in 
your  hide,  killing  your  Brother,  or  your  Daddy, 
or  some  other  big-nosed,  spindle-legged  member 
of  your  family.  The  homeliest  man  in  the 
whole  Chippewa  tribe  they  have  named  *  The 
Moose,'  and  he 's  the  ugliest  creature  I  ever 
saw  ;  you  'd  be  ashamed  of  him  —  he 's  even 
ashamed  of  himself." 


THE    VALUE   OF   THiaR    FUR     31 

"  What's  the  hide  worth  ?  "  asked  Carcajou. 

"Seven  dollars  the  Factor  pays  in  trade,  which 
is  another  name  for  robbery;  Init  I  think  it's 
dear  at  that  price,  with  no  hair  on,  for  it  is 
tanned,  of  course  —  the  Squaws  make  the  skin 
into  leather.  You  would  n't  believe,  though, 
that  they'd  ever  be  able  to  skin  Bushy-tail, 
would  you  ?  " 

"  What !  the  Skunk?  "  cried  Lynx.  "  Have  n't 
the  Men  any  noses  ?  " 

"  Not  like  yours,  Slink;  but  they  take  his  pelt 
right  enough  ;  and  the  white  stripes  down  his 
back  that  he  's  so  proud  of  are  dyed,  and  these 
Men,  who  are  full  of  lies,  sell  it  as  some  kind  of 
Sable.  And  Marten,  too,  they  sell  him  as  Sable 
—  Canadian  Sable." 

"  I  'm  sure  we  are  all  enjoying  this,"  suggested 
Black  King,  sarcastically. 

"  Yes,  Brothers,"  assented  Whisky-Jack, 
"  Black  Fox's  silver  hide  is  worth  more  than 
all  the  rest  put  together.  Sometimes  it  fetches 
Five  Hundred  Dollars!  " 

"  Oh  !  "  exclaimed  Otter,  enviously  ;  "  is  that 
true,  Jack  ? " 

"  It  is.  Bandy-legs  —  I  always  speak  the  truth  ; 
but  it  is  only  a  fad.  A  tribe  of  Men  called  Rus- 
sians buy  Silver  Fox  ;  It  is  said  they  have  a  lot  of 
money,  but,  like    Pisew,  little    brains.      For    my 


f,- 


32 


MOOSWA 


ni.    '^ 


part,  I  'd  rather  have  feathers ;  they  don't  rub 
off,  and  are  nicer  in  every  way.  Do  you  know 
who  likes  your  coat.  Carcajou  ?  " 

"  The  Russians  !  "  piped  Mink,  like  a  little 
school-boy. 

"  Stupid  Fish-eater !  Bigger  fools  than  the 
Russians  buy  Wolverine  —  the  Eskimo,  who  live 
av/ay  down  at  the  mouth  of  the  big  river  that 
runs  to  the  icebergs." 

"  What  are  icebergs.  Brother  ?  "  asked  Mink. 

"  Pieces  of  ice,"  answered  Jack.  "  Now  you 
know  everything,  go  and  catch  a  G  'deye  for 
your  supper." 

"  Goldeye  don't  come  up  the  creeks,  you  ig- 
norant Bird,"  retorted  Sakwasew.  "  I  wish  they 
did,  though  ;  one  can  see  their  big,  yellow  eyes  so 
far  in  the  water  —  they  're  easily  caught." 

"Suckers  are  more  useful,"  chimed  in  Fisher; 
"  when  they  crowd  the  river  banks  in  Autumn, 
eating  those  black  water-bugs,  I  get  fat,  and 
hardly  wet  a  foot ;  I  hate  the  water,  but  I  do 
like  a  plump,  juicy   Sucker." 

"  Not  to  be  compared  to  a  Goldeye  or 
Dore,"  objected  Mink;  "they're  too  soft  and 
liabby." 

"  Fish,  Fish,  Fish  !  always  about  Fish,  or 
something  to  eat,  with  you  Water- Rats,"  inter- 
rupted  Carcajou,  disgustedly.     "  Do   let    us  get 


THE   VALUE   OF   THEIR   FUR    33 


back  to  the  subject.  Do  you  know  what  the 
Men  say  of  our  Black  King,  Comrades  ? " 

"  They  call  him  The  Devil !  "  declared  Jay. 

"  No  they  don't,"  objected  Carcajou ;  "  they 
aver  he  's  Wiesahkechack,  the  great  Indian  God, 
who  could  change  himself  into  Animals  —  that's 
what  they  think.  You  all  know  Francois,  the 
French  Half-breed,  who  trapped  at  Hay  River 
last  Winter." 

"He  killed  my  First  Cousin,"  sighed  Marten. 

"I  lost  a  Son  by  him  —  poisoned,"  moaned 
Black  King's  Mother,  the  Red  Widow,  who 
had  been  sitting  quietly  during  the  meeting 
watching  with  maternal  pride  the  form  of  her 
son. 

"  Yes,  he  tried  to  catch  me,"  boasted  Carcajou, 
"  but  I  outwitted  him,  and  threw  a  Number  Four 
Steel  Trap  in  the  river.  He  had  a  fight  with 
a  Chippewa  Indian  over  it  —  blamed  him  for 
the  theft.  Oh,  I  enjoyed  that.  I  was  hidden 
under  a  Spruce  log,  and  watched  Fran9ois  pum- 
mel the  Indian  until  he  ran  u.way.  I  don't 
understand  much  French,  but  the  Half-breed 
used  awful  language.  I  wish  they  'd  always  fight 
amongst  themselves." 

"  Why  did  n't  the  Chippewa  squeeze  Francois 
till  he  was  dead? — that's  what  I  should  have 
done,"  growled  Muskwa.     "  Do  you  remember 

3 


if 


■■:r.« 

'  m 
tat 


34 


MOOSWA 


Nichemous,   the  Cree    Half-breed,  who    always 
keeps  his  hat  tied  on  with  a  handkerchief? " 

"I  saw  him  once,"  declared  Black  Fox. 

"Well,  he  tried  to  shoot  me  —  crept  up  close 
to  a  log  I  was  lying  behind,  and  poked  his  Iron- 
stick  over  it,  thinking  I  was  asleep.  That  was 
in  the  Winter  —  I  think  it  was  the  Second  of 
February :  but  do  you  know,  sometimes  I  get 
my  dates  mixed.  One  year  I  forgot  in  my  sleep, 
and  came  out  on  the  First  to  see  what  the  weather 
was  like.  Ha,  ha !  fancy  that ;  coming  out  on 
the  First  and  thought  it  was  the  Second." 

"  What  has  that  got  to  do  with  Nichemous, 
old  Garrulity?"  squeaked  Whisky-Jack. 

Muskwa  licked  his  gray  nose  apologetically 
for  having  wandered  from  the  subject.  "  Well, 
as  I  have  said,  it  was  the  Second  of  February  ;  1 
had  been  lying  up  all  Winter  in  a  tremendously 
snug  nest  in  a  little  coulee  that  runs  off  Pem- 
bina River.  Hunger !  but  I  was  weak  when  I 
came  out  that  day." 

"  I  should  think  you  would  have  been,"  sym- 
pathized the  Bird,  mockingly. 

"  I  had  pains,  too ;  the  hard  Red-willow  Berries 
that  1  always  eat  before  I  lay  up  were  griping  me 
horribly  —  they  always  do  that  —  they  're  my 
medicine,  you  know." 

"  Muskwa   is   getting  old,"    interrupted   Jay. 


THE   VALUE    OF   THEIR    FUR     35 

"  He 's    garrulous  —  it  *s    his    pains    and    aches 

now." 

Bear  took  no  notice  of  the  Bird.  "  I  was  tired 
and  cross ;  the  sun  was  nice  and  warm,  and  I  lay 
down  behind  a  log  to  rest  a  little.  Suddenly 
there  was  a  sound  of  the  crisp  hide  of  the  snow 
cracking,  and  at  first  I  thought  it  was  something 
to  eat  coming, —  something  for  my  hunger.  I 
looked  cautiously  over  the  tree,  and  there  was 
Nichemous  trailing  me ;  his  snow-shoe  had  cut 
through  the  crust;  but  it  was  too  late  to  run,  for 
that  Ironstick  of  his  would  have  reached  ;  so  I  lay 
still,  pretending  to  be  asleep.  Nichemous  crept 
up,  oh,  so  cunningly.  He  did  n't  want  to  wake 
poor  old  Muskwa,  you  see  —  not  until  he  woke 
me  with  the  bark  of  his  Ironstick.  Talk  about 
smells.  Mister  Lynx.  Wifh !  the  breath  of 
that  when  it  coughs  is  worse  than  the  smell  of 
Coyote  —  it 's  fairly  blue  in  the  air,  it 's  so  bad." 

"  Where  was  Nichemous  all  this  time  ?  "  cried 
Jack,  mockingly. 

"  Have  patience,  little  shaganappi  (cheap)  Bird. 
Nichemous  saw  my  trail  leading  up  to  the  log, 
but  could  not  see  it  going  away  on  the  other  side. 
I  had  just  one  eye  cocked  up  where  I  could 
watch  his  face.  Wheeze  !  it  was  a  study.  He  'd 
raise  one  foot,  shove  it  forward  gently,  put  that 
big  gut-woven  shoe  down  slowly  on  the  snow, 


»m 


36 


MOOSWA 


and  carry  his  body  forward ;  then  the  other  foot 
the  same  way,  so  as  not  to  disturb  me.  Good, 
kind  Nichemous  !  What  a  queer  scent  he  gave 
to  the  air.  Have  any  of  you  ever  stepped  on 
hot  coals,  and  burned  your  foot?" 

"I  have!"  cried  Blue  Wolf ;  "I  had  a  fight 
with  three  Train  Dogs  once,  at  Wapiscaw,  when 
their  Masters  were  asleep.  It  was  all  over  a 
miserable  frozen  White  Fish  that  even  the  Dogs 
would  n't  eat.  They  were  husky  fighters. 
Wur-r-r !  we  rolled  over  and  over,  and  finally  I 
fetched  up  in  the  camp-fire." 

"  Then  you  know  what  your  paw  smelled  like 
when  the  coals  scorched  it ;  and  that  is  just  the 
nasty  scent  that  came  down  the  air  from  Niche- 
mous—  like  burnt  skin.  I  could  have  nosed 
him  a  mile  away  had  he  been  up  wind,  but  he 
was  n't  at  first.  When  Nichemous  got  to  the  big 
log,  he  reached  his  yellow  face  over,  with  the 
Ironstick  in  line  with  his  nose,  and  I  saw  mur- 
der in  his  eyes,  so  I  just  took  one  swipe  at  the 
top  of  his  head  with  my  right  paw  and  scalped 
him  clean.  W hu-u-o-o- f-f-  !  but  he  yelled.  The 
Ironstick  barked  as  he  went  head  first  into  the 
snow,  and  its  hot  breath  scorched  my  arm  —  un- 
derneath where  there  's  little  hair;  but  the  round 
iron  thing  it  spits  out  did  n't  touch  me.  I  gave 
Nichemous  a  squeeze,  threw  him  down,  and  went 


,/\ 


M'-dLdl- 


«<ntM 


litfifif 


If 


■'*«HMi 


"  SO   I    LAY   STILL,  PRETENDING    TO   BE    ASLEEP.' 


THI 


f  I 


away.     I 
I  'm  glad 
You  see 
" and    m) 
hole  all  ^ 

«  Did  r 
"  I  shoul( 
been  tern 
you  were 

"That 
swered  IV 
a  moss-b; 
his  skull, 
top ;  and 
man,  coul 
patched  t 
is  why  yo 
red  handk 

"  I  alsc 
"  Nichem 
was  poach 
smooth,  a 
out  a  claw 

"  What 
eagerly. 

"  Well, 
ever  I  did 
on  his  bacf 


THE   VALUE   OF   THEIR    FUR    37 


away.  I  was  mad  enough  to  have  slain  him,  but 
I  'm  glad  I  did  n't.  It's  not  good  to  kill  a  Man. 
You  see  I  was  cross,"  he  added,  apologetically, 
"  and  my  head  ached  from  living  in  that  stuffy 
hole  all  Winter." 

"  Did  n't  it  hurt  your  paw  ?  "  queried  Jack. 
"  I  should  have  thought  your  fingers  would  have 
been  tender  from  sucking  them  so  much  while 
you   were  sleeping  in   the   nest." 

"That's  what  saved  Nichemous's  life,"  an- 
swered Muskwa.  "  My  fist  was  swollen  up  like 
a  moss-bag,  else  the  blow  would  have  crushed 
his  skull.  But  I  knocked  the  fur  all  off  the 
top ;  and  his  wife,  who  is  a  great  medicine  wo- 
man, could  n't  make  it  grow  again  ;  though  she 
patched  the  skin  up  some  way  or  other.  That 
is  why  you  '11  see  Nichemous's  hat  tied  on  with  a 
red  handkerchief  always." 

"  I  also  know  of  this  Man,"  wheezed  Otter. 
"  Nichemous  stepped  on  my  rlide  once  when  he 
was  poaching  my  preserve  —  I  had  it  all  nice  and 
smooth,  and  slippery,  and  the  silly  creature,  with- 
out a  claw  to  his  foot,  tried  to  walk  on  it." 

"What  happened,  Long-Back?"  asked  Jack, 
eagerly. 

"  Well,  he  went  down  the  slide  faster  than 
ever  I  did,  head  first ;  but,  would  you  believe  it, 
on  his  back'' 


I 


tan 


i    i 


38 


MOOSWA 


"  Into  the  water?  "  queried  Muskrat.  "That 
would  n't  hurt  him." 

"  He  was  nearly  drowned,"  laughed  Nekik. 
"  The  current  carried  him  under  some  logs,  hut 
he  got  out,  1  'm  sorry  to  say.  That 's  the  worst 
of  it,  we  never  manage  to  kill  these  Men." 

"I  killed  one  once,"  proclaimed  Mooswa  — 
"  stamped  him  with  my  front  feet,  and  his 
friends  never  found  him ;  but  I  would  n't  do  it 
again,  the  look  in  his  eyes  was  awful  —  no,  I  'II 
never  do  it  again." 

"  They  '11  kill  you  some  day,  Marrow-Bones," 
declared  Jay,  blithely. 

"  That 's  what  this  Man  tried  to  do." 

"  Tell  us  about  it,  Comrade,"  cried  Carcajou, 
"  for  I  like  to  hear  of  the  tables  being  turned  once 
in  a  while.  Why,  Mistress  Carcajou  frightens  the 
babies  to  sleep  by  telling  them  that  Fran9ois,  or 
Nichemous,  or  some  other  Trapper  will  catch  them 
if  they  don't  close  their  eyes  and  stop  crying  — 
it  *s  just  awful  to  live  in  continual  dread  of  Man." 

"He  was  an  Indian  named  Grasshead,"  began 
Mooswa,  lying  down  to  tell  the  little  tale  com- 
fortably. "  I  had  just  crossed  the  Athabasca  on 
the  ice ;  he  'd  been  watching,  no  doubt,  and  as  I 
went  up  the  bank  his  Firestick  coughed,  and  the 
ball  struck  me  in  the  neck.  Of  course  I  cleared 
off  into  the  woods  at  a  great  rate." 


THJ 

"  Did  i 
Pretty  L( 

"  Ther 
sometime 
I  would 
deep.  ( 
Muskwa 
but  my  f 
cut  the  cr 

"  See ! ' 
in.  All  ( 
your  littk 
soon  get  ( 

"Well, 
draw  awaj 
circled   w 
down  in 
passed  qu 
the  snow, 
think  oft 
dried-mea 
relatives ; 
of  their  1 
cruel ;   an 
call  of  01 
That  was 
was  one  o 
me  that 


THE   VALUE    OF   THEIR    FUR     39 


"  Did  n't  stop  to  thank  the  Man,  eh,  old 
Pretty  Legs  ?  "  questioned  Jack,  ironically. 

"There  was  a  treacherous  crust  on  the  snow; 
sometimes  it  would  bear  me  up,  and  sometimes 
1  would  go  through  up  to  my  chest,  for  it  was 
deep.  Grasshead  wore  those  big  shoes  that 
Muskwa  speaks  of,  and  glided  along  the  top ; 
but  my  feet  are  small  and  hard,  you  know,  and 
cut  the  crust." 

"  See  !  "  piped  Jay,  "  there 's  where  pride  comes 
in.  All  of  you  horned  creatures  are  so  proud  of 
your  little  feet,  and  unless  the  ground  is  hard  you 
soon  get  done  up." 

"  Well,"  continued  Mooswa,  "  sometimes  I  'd 
draw  away  many  miles  from  the  Indian.  Once  I 
circled  wide,  went  back  close  to  my  trail,  laid 
down  in  a  thicket,  and  watched  for  him.  He 
passed  quite  close,  trailing  along  easily  on  top  of 
the  snow,  chewing  a  piece  of  dried  moose-meat  — 
think  of  that,  Brothers  !  stuck  in  his  loose  shirt  was 
dried-meat,  cut  from  the  bodies  of  some  of  my 
relatives ;  even  the  shirt  itself  was  made  from  one 
of  their  hides.  His  little  eyes  were  vicious  and 
cruel ;  and  several  times  I  heard  him  give  the 
call  of  our  wives,  which  is,  '  Wh-e-a-u-h-h-h  ! ' 
That  was  that  I  might  come  back,  thinking  it 
was  one  of  my  tribe  calling.  All  day  he  trailed 
me  that  way,  and  twice  I   rested  as  I   speak  of. 


mi 


1  '■« 


40 


MOOSWA 


Then  Grasshead  got  cunning.  He  travelled 
wide  of  my  trail,  off  to  one  side,  meaning  to  ccme 
upon  me  lying  down  or  L:ircling.  The  second 
day  of  his  pursuit  1  was  very  tired,  and  the  In- 
dian was  always    coming  closer  and  closer. 

"  Getting  desperate,  I  laid  a  trap  for  him.  It 
was  the  Mrestlck  I  feared  really;  for  without  that 
he  was  no  match  for  me.  With  our  natural 
strength,  he  with  his  arms  and  teeth,  and  I 
with  my  hoofs  and  horns,  I  could  kill  him  easily. 
Why,  once  I  slew  three  Wolves,  nearly  as  largt; 
as  Rof ;  they  were  murderous  chaps  who  tackled 
me  in  the  night.  It  would  n't  do  to  fight  Grass- 
head  where  the  crust  was  bad  on  the  deep  snow, 
so  I  made  for  a  Jack-pine  bluff." 

"  I  know,"  interrupted  Black  Fox,  nodding 
his  head  ;  "  nice  open  ground  with  no  underbrush 
to  bother — just  the  place  for  a  rush  when  you  've 
marked  down  your  Bird.  Many  a  Partridge  1  've 
pinned  in  one  of  those  bluffs." 

"  Yes,"  went  on  Mooswa,  "  the  pine  needles 
kill  out  everything  but  the  silver-green  moss. 
The  snow  was  n't  very  deep  there ;  it  was  an  ideal 
place  for  a  charge  —  nothing  to  catch  one's  horns, 
or  trip  a  fellow.  As  Grasshead  came  up  he  saw 
me  leaning  wearily  against  a  tree,  and  thought  I 
was  ready  to  drop.  I  was  tired,  but  not  quite 
that  badly  used  up.     You  all  know.  Comrades, 


THE    VALUE    OF   THEIR    FUR     41 


how  careful  an  Indian  is  not  to  waste  the  breath 
of  his  Ironstick  ;  he  will  creep,  and  creep,  and 
sneak,  just  like  —  " 

"  Lynx,"  suggested  Whisky-Jack. 

"  Well,  Grasshead,  seeing  that  I  could  n't  get 
away,  as  he  thought,  came  cautiously  to  within 
about  five  lengths,  meaning  to  make  sure  of  my 
death,  you  know.  Brothers  ;  and  just  as  he  raised 
his  Ironstick  I  charged.  He  did  n't  expect  that 
—  it  frightened  him.  The  ball  struck  me  in  the 
shoulder,  and  made  me  furious  with  rage.  The 
Indian  turned  to  run  ;  but  I  cut  him  down,  and 
trampled  him  to  death — I  ground  him  into  the 
frozen  earth  with  my  antlers.  He  gave  the  queer 
Man-cry  that  is  of  fear  and  pain  —  it 's  awful  ! 
I  wish  he  hadn't  followed  me  —  I  wish  I  hadn't 
killed  him." 

"  You  were  justified,  Mooswa,"  said  Black 
King;  "  there  is  no  blame  —  that  is  the  Law  of 
the  Forest :  — 

*'  •  First  \vc  run  for  our  lives. 
Then  we  fight  for  our  lives  : 
And  we  turn  at  bay  when  the  killer  drives.'  " 

"  Bravo,  bravo  !  "  applauded  Whisky-Jack. 
"  Don't  fret  about  the  Indian,  old  Jelly-Nose. 
I  'm  glad  you  killed  him.  I  Ve  heard  the  White 
Trappers  say  that  the  only  good  Indians  are  the 
dead  ones." 


< 


€ 


)■ 


t.     ,M 


4* 


MOOSWA 


"My  own  opinion  is  that  Indians  are  a  fat-meat 
sight  better  than  the  Whites,"  declared  Carcajou  ; 
"  they  don't  tell  as  many  lies,  and  they  won't 
steal.  They  never  lock  a  door  here,  but  they 
do  in  the  Whiteman's  land.  An  Indian  just  puts 
his  food  down  any  place,  or  up  on  a  cache,  and 
nobody  touches  it ;  only,  of  course,  the  White 
Men  who  were  here  in  the  Boundaries  last  year 
looking  for  the  yellow-sand — they  stole  from  the 
caches." 

"  Nobudy  ?  "  screamed  Jay.  "  Nobody  ? 
What  do  you  call  yourself.  Carcajou  ?  How 
many  bags  of  flour  have  you  ripped  open  that 
did  n't  belong  to  you  ?  How  many  pounds  of 
bacon  have  melted  away  because  of  your  hot 
mouth  ?  I  know.  I  've  heard  Ambrose,  and 
Fran9ois,  and  every  other  Trapper  from  the 
Landing  to  Fort  Simpson  swear  you  're  the 
biggest  <-hief  since  the  time  of  Wiesahkechack. 
Why,  you  're  as  bad  as  a  White  Man  by  your 
own  showing." 

"  Gently,  Brother,  gently.  Didst  ever  hear 
your  Men  Friends  tell  the  story  of  the  pot  and 
the  kettle  ?  Besides,  is  it  unfair  that  I,  or  any  of 
uSj  take  a  little  from  those  who  come  here  to 
steal  the  coats  off  our  backs,  and  the  lives  from 
our  hearts  ?  " 

"  Indeed  thou  att  the  pot.  Carcajou,"  retorted 


< 


Mill 


If    "        tm 


'•  THE   BALL   STRUCK   ME    IN   THE    SHOULDER,   AND   MADE   ME   FURIOUS 

WITH    RAGE." 


\.i 


TH 

Jack  ;  " 
piece  of ! 
a  trifle,  r 
the  Mes 
Comrade 

"  It  is 
not  steal 
Bait  thai 
Forest,  s 
though  t 
wrong  Ir 

"  I  als 
"  for  the 
Trap  toe 
in  it." 

"  I  als 
the  Beav 
house  or 
thinking 
us  ;  he  ] 
the  whol 
but  I'd 
the  roof. 
Man,  un] 

"Wha 
fore-feet : 

Umisk 
travelled 


THE   VALUE   OF   THEIR    FUR 


43 


Jack  ;  "  but  what  do  I  steal  ?  True,  I  took  the 
piece  of  soap  thinking  it  was  butter  ;  but  that  was 
a  trifle,  not  the  size  of  a  Trap  Bait ;  and  if  I  take 
the  Meat  out  of  their  Traps  I  do  so  that  my 
Comrades  may  not  be  caught  ?  " 

"  It  is  written  in  the  Law  of  the  Forest  that  is 
not  stealing,"  said  Black  King,  solemnly.  "  The 
Bait  that  is  put  in  the  Trap  is  for  those  of  the 
Forest,  so  come  it  they  be  not  caught ;  and  even 
though  the  Trappers  say  otherwise,  there  is  no 
wrong  in  taking  it." 

"  1  also  take  the  Bait-meat,"  cried  Wolverine, 
"  for  the  good  of  my  Brothers ;  but  I  spring  the 
Trap  too,  lest  by  accident  they  put  their  foot 
m  It. 

"  I  also  know  Nichemous,"  broke  in  Umisk, 
the  Beaver.  "  He  cut  a  hole  in  the  roof  of  my 
house  one  day,  first  blocking  up  the  front  door 
thinking  we  were  inside,  and  meaning  to  catch 
us ;  he  had  his  trouble  for  nothing,  for  I  got 
the  whole  family  out  just  in  the  nick  of  time ; 
but  I  'd  like  to  make  him  pay  for  repairs  to 
the  roof.  I  don't  know  any  animal  so  bad  as  a 
Man,  unless  it's  a  Hermit  Beaver." 

"  What 's  a  Hermit  Beaver,  you  of  the  little 
fore-feet  ?  "  asked  Jay. 

Umisk  sighed  wearily.  "  For  a  Bird  that  has 
travelled  as  much  as  you  have,  Jack,  you   are 


m 


,H|l»<n. 


***'^ 


ivt 


lii  '■■ 


urn 


44 


MOOSWA 


wondrous  devoid  of  knowledge.     Have  you  never 
seen  Red  Jack,  the  Hermit  ?  " 

"  I  have,"  declared  Pisew,  "  he  has  a  piece  out 
of  the  side  of  his  tail." 

"  Perhaps  you  have,  perhaps  you  have ;  but 
all  hermits  are  marked  that  way  —  that's  the 
sign.  You  see,  once  in  a  while  a  Beaver  is  born 
lazy  —  won't  work  —  will  do  nothing  but  steal 
other  people's  Poplar  and  eat  it.  First  we 
reason  with  him,  and  try  to  encourage  him  to 
work  ;  if  that  fails  we  bite  a  piece  out  of  his  tail 
as  a  brand,  and  turn  him  out  of  the  community. 
I  marked  Red  Jack  that  way  myself;  I  boarded 
him  for  a  whole  Winter,  though,  first." 

Served  him  right,"  concurred  Whisky-Jack. 
Yes,  Nichemous  is  a  bad  lot,"  said  Carcajou, 
reflectively  ;  "  but  he  's  no  worse  than  Fran9ois." 

Black  Fox  rose,  stretched  himself,  yawned,  and 
said :  "  The  Meeting  is  over  for  to-day ;  three 
spaces  of  darkness  from  this  we  meet  here  again ; 
there  is  some  business  of  the  Hunting  Boundaries 
to  do,  and  Wapoos  has  a  complaint  to  make." 

"I'm  off,"  whistled  Whisky-Jack.  "Good- 
bye, Your  Majesty.  You  fellows  have  got  to 
hunt  your  dinner,  I  'm  going  to  dine  with  some 
Men —  I  like  my  food  cooked." 

Each  of  the  Animals  slipped  away,  leaving 
Black  Fox  and  his  Mother,  the  Red  Widow. 


<( 


(t 


I- 


H  tisi 


j» 


"WUF!"    SNIFFED   MUSK'WA,  GENTLY.      "OUR  MAN  BURNS  THE   STINK-WEED 

IN    HIS    MOUTH." 


\ 


TH 


"I'lT 

Mother 
somethi 

"An 

"Wh 
Lake  ? 
These  I 
give  me 
scarce  as 

"It^^ 
in  the  Si 
makes  t\ 
ber  how 
days  wit 
the  heat 

"It's 
good,  fo 
not  like 
do  not 
Fat  Birc 

"A  F 
fell  in  t 
watching 
river  for 


,3 


THE   VALUE   OF   THEIR   FUR    45 

"  I  'm  proud  of  you,  my  Son,"  said  the  Fox 
Mother.  "  Come  home  with  me,  I  've  got 
something  rare  for  dinner." 

"  What  is  it.  Dame  ?  " 

"  A  nice,  fat  Wavey  "  (kind  of  goose). 

"  What !  Wawao,  who  nests  in  the  Athabasca 
Lake.''  You  make  my  mouth  water,  Mother. 
These  Mossberry-fed  Partridge  are  so  dry  they 
give  me  indigestion  ;  besides,  I  never  saw  them  so 
scarce  as  they  are  this  year." 

"  It  was  the  great  fire  the  river  Boatmen  started 
in  the  Summer  which  burnt  up  all  their  eggs  that 
makes  them  so  scarce.  Son.  Do  you  not  remem- 
ber how  we  had  to  fly  to  the  river,  and  lie  for 
days  with  our  noses  just  above  water  to  escape 
the  heat?" 

"It's  an  ill  wind.  Mother,  that  blows  nobody 
good,  for  it  nearly  cured  me  of  fleas.  My  fur  is 
not  like  Beaver's.  But  the  Wavies  fly  high,  and 
do  not  nest  hereabout  —  how  came  you  by  the 
Fat  Bird  ?  " 

"  A  Hunter  hurt  it  with  his  Firestick,  and  it 
fell  in  the  water  with  a  broken  wing.  I  was 
watching.  I  think  he  is  still  looking  down  the 
river  for  his  Wavey." 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES 


THREES  days  later,  as  had  been  spoken  in 
the  Council,  Black  King,  accompanied 
by  three  Fox  Brothers,  and  his  Mother  the 
Red  Widow,  crept  cautiously  into  the  open 
space  that  was  fringed  by  a  tangle  of  Red  and 
Gray  Willows,  inside  of  which  grew  a  second 
frieze  of  Raspberry  Bushes,  sat  on  his  haunches 
and  peered  discontentedly,  furtively  about. 
There  was  nobody,  nothing  in  sight — nothing 
but  the  dilapidated  old  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Log  Shack  that  had  been  a  Trading  Post,  and 
against  which  Time  had  leaned  so  heavily  that 
the  rotted  logs  were  sent  sprawling  in  a  discon- 
solate heap. 

"  This  does  not  look  overmuch  like  our  Coun- 
cil Court,  does  it.  Dame  ?  "  he  asked  of  the  Red 
Widow.  "I,  the  King,  am  first  to  arrive  — 
ah,  here  is  Rof !  "  as  Blue  Wolf  slouched  into 
the  open,  his  froth-lined  jaws  swinging  low  in 
suspicious  watchfulness. 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES    47 


Id 

:o 
n 


"  I  'm  late,"  he  growled,  sniffing  at  each  bush 
and  stump  as  he  made  the  circuit  of  the  Court. 
"  What !  only  Your  Majesty  and  the  Red  Widow 
here  as  yet.  It's  bad  form  for  our  Comrades  to 
keep  the  King  waiting." 

While  Blue  Wolf  was  still  speaking  the  Wil- 
lows were  thrust  open  as  though  a  tree  had 
crashed  through  them,  and  Mooswa's  massive 
head  protruded,  just  for  all  the  world  as  if 
hanging  from  a  wall  in  the  hall  of  some  great 
house.  His  Chinese-shaped  eyes  blinked  at  the 
light.  "  May  I  be  knock-kneed,"  he  wheezed 
plaintively,  "if  it  didn't  take  me  longer  to  do 
those  thirty  miles  this  morning  than  I  thought  it 
would  —  the  going  was  so  soft.  I  should  have 
been  here  on  time,  though,  if  I  had  n't  struck 
just  the  loveliest  patch  of  my  favourite  weed  at 
Little  Rapids  —  where  the  fire  swept  last  year, 
you  know." 

"  That 's  what  the  Men  call  Fire-weed,"  cried 
Carcajou,  pushing  his  strong  body  through  the 
fringe  of  berry  bushes. 

"  That 's  because  they  don't  'enow,"  retorted 
Mooswa  ;  "  and  because  it  always  grows  in  good 
soil  after  the  Fire  has  passed,  I  suppose." 

"Where  does  the  seed  come  from,  Mooswa?  " 
asked  Lynx,  who  had  come  up  while  they  were 
talking.     "  Does  the  Fire  bring  it  ?  " 


I  .Ml 


48 


MOOSWA 


"  I  don't  know,"  answered  the  Bull  Moose. 

"  It  is  not  written  in  Man's  books,  either," 
affirmed  Carcajou. 

"  Can  the  King,  who  is  so  wise,  tell  us  ?  " 
pleaded  Fisher,  who  had  arrived. 

"  Manitou  sends  it !  "  Black  Fox  asserted  de- 
cisively, 

"The  Khh'  answers  worthily,"  declared  Wol- 
verine. *  '■  iVJoc^wa  can  stand  in  the  Fire-flower 
until  it  tops  his  back,  and  eat  of  the  juice-filled 
stalk  without  straining  his  short  neck  until  his 
belly  is  like  the  gorge  of  a  Sturgeon,  what  mat- 
ters how  it  has  come.  Let  the  Men,  who  are 
silly  creatures,  bother  over  that.  Manitou  has 
sent  it,  and  it  is  good ;  that  is  enough  for 
Mooswa." 

"  You  are  late,  Nekik,"  said  the  King,  severely  ; 
"  and  you,  too,  Sakwasu." 

"  I  am  lame  !  "  pleaded  Otter. 

"  My  ear  is  bleeding  !  "  said  Mink. 

"  Who  got  the  Fish  ? "  queried  Carcajou. 
They  both  tried  to  look  very  innocent. 

"  What  Fish  ?  "  asked  Black  Fox. 

"  My  Fish,"  replied  Mink. 

"  Mine  !  "  claimed  Otter,  in  the  same  breath. 

Wolverine  winked  solemnly  at  the  Red  Widow. 

"  Yap  !  that  won't  do  —  been  fighting  !  "  came 
from  the  King. 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES    49 


"  It  was  a  Dore,  Your  Majesty,"  pleaded 
Sakwasu,  "  and  I  caught   him   first." 

"Just  as  I  dove  for  him,"  declared  Otter, 
"  Sakwasu  followed  after  and  tried  to  take  him 
from  me  —  a  great  big  Fish  it  was.  I  've  been 
fishing  for  four  years,  but  this  was  the  biggest 
Dore  I  ever  saw  —  why,  he  was  the  length  of 
Pisew." 

"  A  Fisherman's  lie,"  quoth  the  Red  Widow. 

"  Who  got  the  Dore  ?  That 's  the  main  ques- 
tion," demanded  Carcajou. 

"  He    escaped,"    replied    Nekik,   sorrowfully 
"and    we    have    come   to  the    Meeting   without 
any  breakfast." 

"Bah!  Bah!  Bah!"  laughed  Blue  Wolf; 
"that's  rich!  Hey,  Muskwa,  you  heard  the 
end  of  the  story  —  is  n't  it  good  ?  " 

"  I,  too,  have  had  no  breakfast,"  declared 
Muskwa,  "  so  I  don't  see  the  point  —  it 's  not 
a  bit  funny.  Seven  hard-baked  Ant  Hills  have 
I  torn  up  in  the  grass-flat  down  by  the  river,  and 
not  a  single  dweller  in  one  of  them.  My  arms 
ache,  for  the  clay  was  hard ;  and  the  dust  has 
choked  up  my  lungs.  Wuf-f-f !  I  could  hardly 
get  my  breath  coming  up  the  hill,  and  I  have  more 
mortar  in  my  lungs  than  Ants  in  my  stomach." 

"Are  there  no  Berries  to  be  had,  then, 
Muskwa  ^  "  asked  Wapistan. 


,,iii;ii«*'M;jir'ai 


50 


MOOSWA 


"  Oh,  yes ;  there  are  Berries  hereabouts,  but 
they  're  all  hard  and  bitter.  The  white  Dog- 
berries, ard  the  pink  Buffalo-berries,  and  the 
Wolf-willcvv  berries — what  are  they?  Perhaps 
not  to  be  despised  in  this  Year  of  Famine,  for 
they  pucker  up  one's  stomach  until  a  Cub's  ra- 
tion fills  it ;  but  the  Saskatoons  are  now  dry  on 
the  Bush,  and  I  miss  them  sorely.  Gluck ! 
they're  the  berries — full  of  oil,  not  vinegar;  a 
feed  of  them  is  like  eating  a  little  Sucking  Pig." 

"  What's  a  Sucking  Pig?  "  queried  Lynx;  "I 
never  saw  one  growing." 

"  I  know,"  declared  Carcajou.  "  The  Priest 
over  at  Wapiscaw  had  six  little  white  fellows 
in  a  small  corral.  Tney  had  voices  like  Pallas, 
the  Black  Eagle.  I  could  always  tell  when  they 
were  being  fed,  their  wondrous  sciig  reached  a 
good  three  miles." 

"That 's  where  I  got  mine,"  remarked  Muskwa, 
looking  cautiously  about  to  see  that  the»'e  were  no 
eavesdroppers ;  "  I  had  three,  and  the  Priest 
keeps  three.  But  talking  of  food,  one  Summer 
I  crossed  the  great  up-hills  that  Men  call  Rockies, 
and  along  the  rivers  of  that  land  grows  just  the 
loveliest  Berry  any  poor  Bear  ever  ate." 
Saskatoons  ?  "  queried  Carcajou. 
No,  the  Salmon  Berry  — great,  yellow,  juicy 
chaps,  the  size  of  Mooswa's  nose." 


(I 


(C 


THE 

"  F.1 

the  W 
"  W 

"and   1 
like  eat 
you  ev( 
"Id< 
"Nei 
say,"  ad 
"Wei 
asked  Bl 
J" eat  fooi 
"Wha 
"No; 
"  Yes, 
for  a  wee 
they  were 
me  an   ea 
have  seen 
'ittle    Cha 
with  his  s 
me  amoni 
"  What 
afraid  ? " 

"I  th 
he  took  t( 
citement  r; 
^0  see  this 


re 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     51 


iicy 


"  Fat  Birds  !  what  a  sized  Berry  ! "  ejaculated 
the  Widow,  dubiously. 

"  Well,  almost  as  big,"  modified  Muskwa ; 
"and  sweet  and  nippy.  Ugh!  ugh!  It  was 
like  eating  a  handful  of  the  fattest  black  Ants 
you  ever  tasted.*' 

"  I  don't  eat  Ants,"  declared  the  Red  Widow. 

"Neither  did  I  this  morning,  I'm  sorry  to 
say,"  added  Bear,  hungrily. 

"  Were  n't  they  hairy  little  Beggars,  Muskwa  ?  " 
asked  Blue  Wolf,  harking  back  longingly  to  the 
meat  food. 

"  What,  the  Salmon  Berries  ?  " 

"  No ;  the  Padre's  little  Pigs  at  Wapiscaw." 

"  Yes,  somewhat ;  I  had  bristles  in  my  teeth 
for  a  week  —  awfully  coarse  fur  they  wore.  But 
they  were  noisy  little  rats  —  the  screeching  gave 
me  an  earache.  Huf,  huf,  huh  !  You  should 
have  seen  the  Factor,  who  is  a  fat,  pot-bellied 
little  Chap,  built  like  Carcajou,  come  running 
with  his  short  Otter-shaped  legs  when  he  heard 
me  among  the  Pigs." 

"  What  did  you  do,  Muskwa  —  were  n't  you 
afraid  ?  "  asked  the  Red  Widow. 

"  I  threw  a  little  Pig  out  of  the  corral  and 
he  took  to  the  Forest.  The  Factor  in  his  ex- 
citement ran  after  him,  and  I  laughed  so  much 
to  see  this  that  I  really  could  n't  eat  a  fourth  Pig." 


w^ 


:  a  t' 


III  U-M 
I  .lit 


52 


MOOSWA 


"  But  you  did  well,"  cried  Black  King ;  "  there 's 
nothing  like  a  good  laugh  at  nieal-tinie  to  aid 
digestion." 

"  I  thought  they  would  eat  like  that,  Musk- 
wa,"  continued  Blue  Wolf.  "  You  renieniber 
the  thick,  white-furred  animals  they  once  brought 
to  the  Mission  at  Lac  La  Biche?  " 

"  Sheep,"  interposed  Mooswa,  "  I  remember 
them  ;  stupid  creatures  they  were  —  always  fright- 
ened by  something ;  and  always  bunching  up 
together  like  the  Plain  Buffalo,  so  that  a  Killer 
had  more  slaying  than  running  to  do  amongst 
them." 

"  That  was  the  worst  of  it,"  declared  Blue  Wolf. 
"  My  Pack  acted  as  foolishly  as  Man  did  with 
the  Buffalo  —  killed  them  all  off  in  a  single 
season,  for  that  very  reason." 

"  And  for  that  trick  Man  put  the  blood-bounty 
on  your  scalp,"  cried  Carcajou. 

"  Oh,  the  bounty  does  n't  matter  so  long  as 
I  keep  the  scalp  on  my  own  head.  But,  as  I 
was  going  to  say,  the  queer  fur  they  had  got  into 
my  teeth,  and  made  me  fair  furious.  Where  one 
Sheep  would  have  sufficed  for  my  supper,  I  killed 
three  —  though  I'm  generally  of  an  even  temper. 
The  Priest  did  much  good  in  this  country  — " 

"  Bringing  in  the  Sheep,  eh  ? "  interrupted 
Carcajou. 


THl 

"J 

intere 

"I 

"  'I'he 

full  of 

called 

enougj 

"Di 

Carcajc 

"Fo 

I  left  h 

of  a  wh 

A  busy 

the  con- 

'  becani 

"A 
"He 

ComradI 

"It 
Black 
corral  fii 

"It 
fhey  satj 
you    kn< 
their  glai 
until  I 
good  thii 
"Itisi 


THE  LAW  OF  THi:  BOUNDARIES     53 


■4 


"  Perhaps,  perhaps  ;  each  one  according  as  his 
interests  are  affected." 

"  The  Priests  are  a  henetit,"  asserted  Marten. 
"  The  Father  at  Little  Slave  Lake  had  a  corral 
full  of  the  loveliest  tame  Grouse —  Chickens,  they 
called  them.  They  were  like  the  Sheep,  silly 
enough  to  please  the  laziest  Hunter." 

"  Did  you  join  the  Mission,  Brother  ?  "  asked 
Carcajou,  licking  his  chops  hungrily. 

"  For  three  nights,"  answered  Wapistan,"  then 
[  left  it,  carrying  a  scar  on  my  hip  from  the  snap 
of  a  white  bob-tailed  Dog  they  call  a  Fox-terrier. 
A  busy,  meddlesome,  yelping  little  cur,  lacking 
the  composure  of  a  Dweller  in  the  Boundaries. 
1  became  disgusted  at  his  clatter  and  cleared  out." 

"A  Fox  what?''  asked  the  Red  Widow. 
"  He  was  not  of  our  tribe  to  interfere  with  a 
Comrade's  Kill." 

"  It  must  have  been  great  hunting,"  remarked 
Black  King,  his  mouth  watering  at  the  idea  of  a 
corral  full  of  Chickens. 

"  It  was  !  "  asserted  Wapistan.  "  All  in  a  row 
they  sat,  shoulder  to  shoulder  —  it  was  night, 
you  know.  They  simply  blinked  at  me  with 
their  glassy  t  es,  and  exclaimed,  '  Peek  !  Peek  ! ' 
until  I  cut  their  throats.  Yes,  the  Mission  is  a 
good  thing." 

"  It  is,"  concurred  Black  King  —  "  they  should 


54 


MOOSWA 


establish  more  of  them.  But  where  in  the  world 
is  Chatterbox,  the  Jay  ?  " 

"  Gabbler  the  Fool  must  have  trailed  in  with 
a  party  of  Men  going  down  the  river,"  suggested 
Carcajou.  "  Nothing  but  eating  would  keep  him 
av/ay  from  a  party  of  talkers." 

"  Well,  Comrades,"  said  Black  King,  "  shall 
the  Boundaries  be  the  same  as  last  year  ?  Are 
there  any  changes  to  be  made  ?  " 

"  I  roam  everywhere  ;  is  that  not  so,  King  .?  " 
asked  Muskwa. 

"  Yes ;  but  not  eat  everywhere.  There  is 
truce  for  the  young  Beaver,  because  workmen 
are  not  free  to  the  Kill." 

"  I  have  not  eaten  of  Trowel  Tail's  Children," 
declared  Muskwa,  proudly.  "  I  have  kept  the 
Law  of  the  Boundaries." 

"  And  yet  he  has  lost  two  sons,"  said  Black 
Fox,  looking  sternly  about. 

A  tear  trickled  down  the  sandy  beard  of  Beaver 
and  glistened  on  his  black  nose. 

"  Two  sturdy  Sons,  Your  Majesty,  a  year  old. 
Next  year,  or  the  year  after,  they  would  have 
gone  out  and  built  lodges  of  their  own.  Such 
plasterers  I  never  saw  in  my  life.  Why,  their 
work  was  as  smooth  as  the  inner  bark  of  the 
Poplar ;  and  no  two  Beavers  on  the  whole  length 
of  Pelican  River  could  cut  down  a  tree  with  them." 


:h 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     55 

"  Oh,  never  mind  their  virtues.  Trowel  Tail," 
interrupted  Carcajou,  heartlessly  ;  "  they  are  dead 

—  that  is  the  main  thing  ;  and  who  killed  them, 
the  question.  Who  broke  the  Boundary  Law 
is  what  we  want  to  know." 

"  Whisky-Jack  should  be  here  during  the  in- 
quiry," grumbled  the  King.    "  He  's  our  detective 

—  Jack  sees  everything,  tells  everything,  and 
finds  out  everything.  Should  n't  wonder  but  he 
knows  — strange  that  he  's  not  with  us." 

"  Must  have  struck  some  Men  friends,  Your 
Majesty,"  said  the  Bull  Moose.  "  As  I  drank 
at  the  river,  twenty  miles  up,  one  of  those  float- 
ing houses  the  Traders  use  passed  with  two  Men 
in  it.  There  was  the  smell  of  hot  Meat  came 
to  me,  and  if  Jack  was  within  a  Bird's  scent  of 
the  river,  which  is  a  long  distance,  he  also  would 
know  of  the  food." 

"  Very  likely,  Mooswa,"  rejoined  Black  King. 
"  A  cooked  pork  rind  would  coax  Jay  from  his 
duty  any  time.  We  must  go  on  with  the  en- 
quiry without  him.  Who  broke  the  Law  of 
the  Boundaries  and  killed  Umisk's  two  Sons  ? " 
he  demanded  sternly. 

"  I  did  n't,"  wheezed  Mooswa,  rubbing  his 
big,  soft  nose  caressingly  down  Beaver's  back,  as 
the  latter  sat  on  one  of  the  old  stumps.  "  I  have 
kept  the  law.     Like  Muskwa  I  roam  from  lake 


l!:i:%,^# 


56 


MOOSWA 


IS 


to  lake,  and  from  river  to  river;  but  I  kill  no 
one  —  that  is,  with  one  exception." 

"  That  was  within  the  law,"  asserted  the  King, 
"  for  we  kill  in  our  own  defence." 

"  I  think  it  was  Pisew,"  whispered  the  Red 
Widow.  "  See  the  Sneak's  eye.  Call  him  up, 
O  Son,  and  command  him  to  look  straight 
into  your  Royal  Face  and  say  if  he  has  kept  the 
law." 

"  Pisew,"  commanded  Black  Fox,  "  come 
closer ! " 

Lynx  started  guiltily  at  the  call  of  his  name. 
There  was  something  soft  and  unpleasant  in  the 
slipping  sound  of  his  big  muffled  feet  as  he 
walked  toward  the    King. 

"  Has  Pisew  kept  the  Law  of  the  Bounda- 
ries ?  "  asked  Black  King,  sternly,  looking  full  in 
the  mustached  face  of  the  slim-bodied  cat. 

Lynx  turned  his  head  sideways,  and  his  eyes 
sought  to  avoid  those  of  the  questioner. 

"  Your  Majesty,  I  roam  from  the  Pelican  on 
one  side,  to  Fish  Creek  on  the  other  ;  and  the 
law  is  that  therein  I,  who  eat  flesh,  may  kill 
Wapoos  the  Rabbit.  This  year  it  has  been  hard 
living,  Your  Majesty  —  hard  li^nng.  Because  of 
the  fire,  Wapoos  fled  beyond  tne  waters  of  the 
creeks,  and  I  have  eaten  of  the  things  that  could 
not  fly  the   Boundaries  —  Mice,  and  Frogs,  and 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     57 


Slugs  :  a  diet  that  is  horrible  to  think  of.  Look, 
Your  Majesty,  at  my  gaunt  sides  —  am  I  not 
like  one  that  is  already  skinned  by  the  Trappers  ?  " 

"  He  is  making  much  talk,"  whispered  the 
Red  Widow,  "  to  the  end  that  you  forget  the 
murder  of  Trowel  Tail's  Sons." 

"  Didst  like  Beaver  Meat .? "  queried  Black 
King,  abruptly. 

"  I  am  not  the  slayer  of  Umisk's  children," 
denied  Lynx.  "  It  was  Wapoos,  or  Whisky- 
Jack;  they  are  mischief  makers,  and  ready  for 
any  evil." 

"  Oh,  you  silly  liar !  "  cried  Carcajou,  in 
derision.  "  Wapoos  the  Rabbit  kill  a  Beaver  ? 
Why  not  say  the  Moon  came  down  and  ate 
them  up.  Thou  hast  a  sharp  nose  and  a  full 
appetite,  but    little  brain." 

"  He  is  a  poor  liar ! "  remarked  the  Red 
Widow. 

"  I  have  kept  the  law,"  whirled  Lynx.  "  I 
have  eaten  so  little  that  I  am  starved." 

"  What  shall  we  do.  Brothers,  about  the  mur- 
dered Sons  of  Umisk  ?  Beaver  is  the  worker 
of  our  lands.  But  for  him,  and  the  dams  he 
builds,  the  Muskegs  would  soon  dry  up,  the  fires 
would  burn  the  Forests,  and  we  should  have  no 
place  to  live.  If  we  kill  the  Sons,  presently 
there  will  be  no  workers  —  nobody  but  ourselves 


■«:'iajs,M#'**^ 


'< 


^:!i'|''iiis:.m 


58 


MOOSWA 


THP 


i;ii 


who  are  Killers."  Black  Fox  thus  put  the  case 
wisely  to  the  others. 

"  Gr-a-a-h-wuh !  let  me  speak,"  cried  Blue 
Wolf.  "  Pisew  has  done  this  thing.  If  any  in 
my  Pack  make  a  kill  and  I  come  to  speak  of  it, 
do  1  not  know  from  their  eyes  that  grow  tired, 
which  it  is  ?  " 

Said  the  Lieutenant,  Carcajou  :  "  I  think  you 
are  right,  Rof;  but  you  can't  hang  a  Comrade 
because  he  has  weak  eyes.  No  o.  has  seen 
Pisew  make  the  kill.  We  must  have  a  new  law, 
Your  Majesty.  That  if  again  Kit-Beaver,  or 
Cub-Fox,  or  Babe-Wapoos,  or  Young-Anyone  is 
slain  for  eating,  we  shall  all,  sitting  in  Council, 
decide  who  is  to  pay  the  penalty.  I  think  that 
will  stop  this  murderous  poaching." 

*'  It  will,"  whispered  the  Red  Widow.  "  Lynx 
will  never  touch  one  of  them  again.  He  knows 
what  Carcajou  means." 

"  That  is  a  new  law,  then,"  cried  the  King. 
"  If  any  of  Unisk's  children  are  killed  by  one  of 
us,  sitting  in  Council  we  shall  decide  who  is  to 
be  executed  for  the  crime." 

"  Please,  Your  Majesty,"  squeaked  Rabbit, 
"  I  keep  the  Boundary  Law,  but  others  do  not. 
From  Beaver's  dam  to  the  Pelican,  straighter 
than  a  Man's  trail,  are  my  three  Run-ways.  My 
Cousin's   family    has    three    more ;    and   in   the 


Must 
our  R 
house 
ve  al 
Musk 
formei 

would 

and    tl 

Neithe 

for  the 

we  not 

dom  ? 

us,   am 

sometir 

because 

ourselv 

"Bu 

known 

mornin 

the  Sur 

are  we 

"Ye« 
"  that  n 
dusk  :ii 
so  ?  " 

"If 
"  I  do  1 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     59 


CO 


:er 


} 


i-i 


Muskeg  our  streets  run  clear  to  view.  Beyond 
our  Run-ways  we  do  not  go.  Nor  do  we  build 
houses  in  vi'  lation  of  the  law  —  only  roads  are 
ve  allowed,  and  these  we  have  made.  In  the 
Muskeg  parks,  the  nice  open  places  Beaver  has 
formed  by  damming  back  the  waters,  we  labor. 

"  When  the  young  Spruce  are  growing,  and 
would  choke  up  the  park,  we  strip  the  bark  off 
and  they  die,  and  the  open  is  still  with  us. 
Neither  do  we  kill  any  Animal,  nor  make  trouble 
for  them  —  keeping  well  within  the  law.  Are 
we  not  ourselves  food  for  all  the  Animal  King- 
dom ?  Lynx  lives  off  us,  and  Marten  lives  off 
us,  and  Fox  lives  off  us,  and  Wolf  and  Bear 
sometimes.  Neither  I  nor  my  Tribe  complains, 
because  that  law  is  older  than  the  laws  we  make 
ourselves. 

"But  have  we  not  certain  rights  which  are 
known  to  the  Council  ?  For  one  hour  in  the 
morning,  and  one  hour  in  the  evening,  just  when 
the  Sun  and  the  Stars  change  their  season  of  to'', 
are  we  not  to  be  free  from  the  Hunting  ?  " 

"Yes,  it  is  written,"  replied  Black  King, 
"  that  no  one  shall  kill  Wapoos  at  the  hour  if 
dusk  and  the  hour  of  dawn.  Has  anyone  one 
so  : 

"  If  they  have,  it 's  a  shame  !  "  cried  Carcajou. 
"  I  do  not  eat  Wapoos  ;  but  if  everything  else 


ii;' 


'■'I 


^ 


60 


MOOSWA 


fails  —  if  the  Fisii  fail,  if  there  are  no  Berries,  if 
the  Nuts  and  the  Seeds  are  dried  in  the  heart 
before  they  ripen,  we  still  have  Wapoos  to  carry 
us  over.  The  Indians  know  this  —  it  is  of  their 
history  ;  and  many  a  time  has  Wapoos,  the  Rab- 
bit, our  Little  Brother,  saved  them  from  starva- 
tion. 

"  Who  has  slain  VVapoos  at  the  forbidden 
hour  ?  "  thundered  Black  King. 

Again  there  was  denial  all  around  the  circle ; 
and  again  everybody  felt  convinced  that  Lynx 
was  the  breaker  of  the  law.  Said  Black  Fox : 
"It  is  well  because  of  the  new  ruling  we  have 
parsed,  I  think.  If  again  Wapo>)s  is  killed  or 
hunted  at  the  forbidden  hours,  we  shall  decide  in 
Counril  who  must  die." 

"  Also,  O  King,"  still  pleaded  Rabbit,  "  for  all 
time  have  we  claimed  another  protection.  You 
know  our  way  of  life.  For  seven  years  we  go 
on  peopjHig  the  streets  of  our  Muskeg  Cities, 
growing  more  plentiful  all  the  time,  until  there 
is  a  great  population.  Then  comes  the  sick- 
ness on  The  Seventh  Year,  and  we  die  off  like 
Flies." 


(( 


It    has    been   so  for  sixty    years,"    assented 
"  My  father,  who  is  sixty,  has  always 


Mooswa 

known  of  this  thing 


<c 


For  a  hundred  times  sixty,  Brother,'  quoth 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     6i 


I 


Carcajou  ;  "  it  is  so  written  in  the  legends  of  the 
Indians." 

"  It  is  a  queer  sickness,"  continued  Wapoos. 
"  The  lumps  come  in  our  throats,  and  under  our 
arms,  and  it  kills.  Your  Majesty  knows  the  Law 
of  the  Seventh  Season." 

"  Yes,  it  is  that  no  one  shall  eat  Wapoos  that 
year,  or  next." 

"  Most  wise  ruling ! "  concurred  Carcajou. 
"  The  Rabbits  with  the  lumps  in  their  necks 
are  poisonous.  Besides,  when  there  are  so  few 
of  them,  if  they  were  eaten,  the  food  supply  of 
the  Boundaries  would  be  forever  gone.  A  most 
wise  rule." 

"  Has  any  one  violated  this  protection  r'ght? " 
asked  the  King. 

"  Yes,  Your  Majesty.  This  is  the  Seventh 
Year,  is  it  not  ?  "  said  Rabbit. 

"  Bless  me  !  so  it  is, "  exclaimed  Mooswa, 
thoughtfully.  "  I,  who  do  not  eat  Rabbits,  have 
paid  no  attention  to  the  calendar.  I  wondered 
what  made  the  woods  so  silent  and  dreary  ;  that's 
just  it.  No  pudgy  little  Wapooses  darting  across 
one's  path.  Why,  now  I  remember,  last  year. 
The  Year  of  the  Plenty,  when  I  laid  down  for  a 
rest  they  'd  be  all  about  me.  Actually  sat  up  on 
my  side  many  a  time." 

"■  Yes,  it 's  the  Seventh  Year,"  whined   Lynx  ; 


fi^Niiis!,,^!*;!'^ 


t5i 


62 


MOOSWA 


"look  how  thin  ^  am.  Perhaps  miles  and  miles 
of  river  bank,  and  not  even  a  Frog  to  be  had." 

"  Alas  !  it 's  the  Plague-year,"  declared  Wa- 
poos ;  "  and  my  whole  family  were  stricken  with 
the  sickness.  They  died  off  one  —  by  —  one  — " 
Here  he  stopped,  and  covered  his  big,  sympa- 
thetic eyes  with  soft,  fur-ruffed  hands.  His 
tender  lieart  choked. 

Mooswa  sniffed  through  his  big  nose,  and 
browsed  absent-mindedly  off  the  Gray-willows. 
My!  but  they  were  bitter  —  he  never  ate  them 
at  any  time  ;  but  one  must  do  something  when  a 
Father  is  talking  about  his  dead  Children. 

"  Did  they  all  die,  Wapoos  ?  "  asked  Otter ; 
and  in  his  black  snake-like  eyes  there  actually 
glistened  a  tear  of  sympathy. 

"  Yes  ;  and  our  whole  city  was  almost  depopu- 
lated." 

''  Dreadful !  "  cried  Carcajou. 

'*  The  nearest  neighbor  left  me  was  a  Widow 
on  the  third  main  Run-way  —  two  cross-paths 
from  my  lane.  All  her  family  died  off,  even  the 
Husband.  We  were  a  great  help  to  each  other 
in  the  way  of  consolation,  and  became  fast  friends. 
Yesterday  morning,  when  I  called  to  talk  over 
our  affliction,  there  was  nothing  left  of  her  but  a 
beautiful,  white,  fluffy  tail." 

"  Horrible  !  oh,  the  Wretch  !  "  screamed  Black 


cc 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     63 

Fox's  Mother ;  "  to  treat  a  Widow  that  way  — 
eat  her !  " 

"  If  I  knew  who  did  it,"  growled  Muskwa, 
savagely,  "  I  would  break  his  neck  with  one 
stroke  of  my  fist.  Poor  little  Wapoos !  come 
over  here.  Eat  these  Black  Currants  that  I  've 
just  picked —  I  don't  want  them." 

"  That  is  a  most  criminal  breaeii  of  the  law," 
said  the  King,  with  emphasis.  "  If  Wapoos  can 
prove  who  did  it,  we  '11  give  the  culprit  quick 
justice." 

"Flif— fluf,  flif—  fluf,"  came  the  sound  of 
wings  at  this  juncture,  and  with  an  erratic  swoop 
Whisky-Jack  shot  into  the  circle. 

He  was  trembling  with  excitement  —  some- 
thing of  tremendous  importance  had  occurred ; 
every  blue-gray  feather  of  his  coat  vibrated  with 
it.  He  strutted  about  to  c-._h  his  breath,  and 
his  walk  was  the  walk  of  one  who  feels  his  supe- 
riority. 

"  Good-morning,  Glib-tongue  !  "  greeted  Car- 
cajou. 

Welcome,  Clerk  !  "  said  the  King,  graciously. 
Hop  up  on  my  antler,"  murmured  Mooswa, 
condescendingly  ;  "  you  '11  get  your  throat  full  of 
dust  down  there." 

Whisky-Jack  swished  up  on  the  big  platter- 
like leaf  that  was  the  first  spread   of  Mooswa's 


(( 


(C 


1  ..-i  I 


64 


MOOSWA 


lordly  crown.  He  picked  a  remnant  of  meat 
food  from  his  beak  with  his  big  toe,  coughed 
three  times  impressively,  and  commenced:  — 

"  Comrades,  who  do  you  suppose  has  come 
within  our  Boundaries  ?  " 

"  is  it  Cougar,  the  Slayer?  "asked  Black  King, 
apprehensi>'ely. 

"  Is  it  Death  Song,  the  Rattler,  he  who 
glides  ?  "  cried  Marten,  his  little  legs  trembling 
with   fear. 

"  Has  my  cousin,  Ookistutoowan  the  Grizzly, 
come  down  from  his  home  in  the  up-hills  to  dis- 
pute with  me  the  way  of  the  road?"  queried 
Black  Bear,  Muskwa.  "  I  am  ready  for  him  !  " 
he  declared,  shaking  his  back  like  a  huge  St. 
Bernard. 

"  Didst  see  Train  Dogs,  bearer  of  ill  news  ?  " 
demanded  Wolf.  "  Ur-r-r  !  I  fear  not !  "  and  he 
bared  his  great  yellow  fangs  viciously. 

"  Worse,  worse  still  !  "  piped  Whisky-Jack, 
spreading  his  wings  out,  and  sloping  his  small 
round  head  down  toward  them.  "  Worse  than 
any  you  have  mentioned  —  some  one  to  make 
you  all  tremble." 

"  Tell  us,  tell  us  !  "  cried  Carcajou.  "  One 
would  think  Wiesahkechack  had  come  back 
from  his  Spirit  Home  where  the  Northern 
Lights  grow." 


THE  I 

"  Fra, 

even,  dr 

The  ; 

group. 

"  Frai 

"  Wh: 

"I    ki 

a  calf  ir 

tion,  I  p 

Great  H 

me  to  ea 

Factor's 

"Whc 

"At 

I  had  bi 

"  Ren( 

"  And 

Winter  i 

Traps 

what    thi 

with  hun 

a  Moose 

ber   Fou 

smaller 

of  them. 

eight-dol 

land  covt 

"  And 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     65 


'*  Francois  has  come!''  declared  the  Jay,  in  an 
even,  dramatic  voice. 

The  silence  of  consternation  settled  over  the 
group. 

"  Fran9ois  and  T'/ie  Boy  /"  added  Jack. 

"  What 's  a  Boy  ?  "  asked  Lynx. 

"  I  know,"  asserted  Mooswa.  "  When  I  was 
a  calf  in  the  Company's  corral  at  Fort  Resolu- 
tion, I  played  with  a  Boy,  the  Factor's  Man-Cub. 
Great  Horns  !  he  was  nice.  Many  a  time  he  gave 
me  to  eat  the  queer  grass  things  that  grew  in  the 
Factor's  garden." 

"  Where  is  Fran9ois  ?  "  queried  the  King. 

"At  Red  Stone  Brook  —  he  and  The  Boy. 
I  had  breakfast  with  them." 

"  Renegade  !  "  sneered  Carcajou. 

"  And  Fran9ois  says  they  will  stay  here  all 
Winter  and  kill  fur.  There  are  three  big  Bear 
Traps  in  the  outfit  —  I  saw  them,  Muskwa ; 
what  think  you  ?  Great  steel  jaws  to  them, 
with  hungry  teeth.  They  would  crack  the  leg  of 
a  Moose,  even  a  Buffalo ;  and  there  are  Num- 
ber Four  Traps  for  Umisk  and  Nekik ;  and 
smaller  ones  for  you.  Mister  Marten  —  many 
of  them.  Oh,  my!  but  it's  nice  to  have  an 
eight-dollar  coat.  All  the  Thief-trappers  in  the 
land  covet  it. 

"  And    Fran9ois   has  an   Ironstick,  and   The 

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MOOSWA 


Boy  has  an  Ironstick,  and  there  will  be  great 
sport  here  all  Winter.  That's  what  Francois 
said,  and  I  think  it  is  true  —  not  that  a  Half- 
breed  sticks  to  the  truth  over-close." 

The  Hunt-fear  settled  over  the  gathering. 
No  one  had  heart  even  to  check  the  spiteful 
gibes  of  their  feathered  Clerk.  The  Law  of  the 
Boundaries,  and  the  suspicious  evidence  of  its 
violation  that  pointed  to  Lynx,  were  forgotten  — 
which  was,  perhaps,  a  good  thing  for  that  unprin- 
cipled poacher. 

Black  King  was  first  to  break  the  fear- 
silence. 

"  Subjects,  draw  close,  for  already  it  has  conic 
to  us  that  we  have  need  of  all  our  wisdom,  and 
all  our  loyalty  one  to  another,  and  the  full 
strength  of  our  laws." 

Silently  they  bunched  up ;  then  he  pro- 
ceeded :  — 

"  l^'ran9ois  is  a  great  Hunter.  He  has  the 
cunning  of  Wolverine,  the  strength  of  Muskwa, 
the  speed  of  mine  own  people,  and  the  endurance 
of  Mooswa.  Besides,  there  are  the  Traps,  and  the 
Ironstick;  and  Snares  made  from  Deer-sinew  and 
Cod-line.  The  soft  strong  cord  which  Man  weaves. 
Also  will  this  Evil  Slayer,  who  is  but  a  vile  Half- 
breed,  have  the  White  Powder  of  Death  in  a  tiny 
bottle — such    a    small    bottle,  and    yet    holding 


ar- 


»ro- 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     67 

enough  Devil-medicine  to  slay  every  Dweller  in 
the  Boundaries." 

"  That  it  will,  Your  Majesty,"  confirmed  Jack  ; 
"and  it  kills  while  you  breathe  thrice  —  so, 
If-f-h,  if-f-h,  if-f-h  !  and  you  fall — your  legs 
kick  out  stiff,  and  you  are  dead.  I  've  seen  it 
do  its  terrible  work." 

"Just  so,"  assented  Black  King.  "The  use 
of  that  is  against  Man's  law,  even  ;  but  Fran- 
cois cares  not,  so  be  it  the  Red-co^ts  know 
not  of  its  use.  Now  must  we  take  an  oath  to 
help  one  the  other,  if  we  prefer  not  to  have  our 
coats  nailed  on  the  Hunt-Man's  Shack  walls, 
or  stretched  on  the  wedge-boards  he  uses  for 
the  hides  of  Otter,  and  Mink,  and  Fisher,  and 
myself.  Even  Muskrat  and  Pisew  go  on  a  wedge- 
board  when  they  are  skinned.  You,  Beaver,  and 
Muskwa,  and  Mooswa  have  your  skins  stretched 
by  iron  thorns  on  the  side  of  a  Shack. 

"Now  take  we  the  oath?"  he  asked,  looking 
from  one  to  the  other. 

A  murmur  of  eager  assent  started  with  the 
deep  bass  of  Blue  Wolf  and  died  away  in  the 
plaintive  treble  of  Wapoos. 

"  Then,  listen  and  repeat  with  me,"  he  com- 
manded. 


"*l:«:j,j| 


■J)  1; 


68  MOOSWA 


The  Oath  of  the  Boundaries. 

"  *  We,  Dwellers  within  the  Boundaries,  swear 
by  the  Spirit  of  Wiesahkechack,  who  is  God 
of  the  Indians  and  all  Animals,  that,  come 
Trap,  come  Ironstick,  come  White-powdered 
Bait,  come  Snare,  come  Arrow,  come  what 
soe'er  may,  we  will  help  each  other,  and  warn 
each  other,  and  keep  ward  for  each  other;  in 
the  Star-time  and  the  Sun-time,  in  the  Flower- 
time  and  the  Snow-time  ;  that  the  call  of  one 
for  help  shall  be  the  call  of  all ;  and  the  fight 
of  one  shall  be  the  fight  of  all ;  and  the  enemy 
of  one  shall  be  the  enemy  of  all. 

"  *  By  the  Mark  that  is  on  the  tail  of  each  of 
us,  we  swear  this.  By  the  White  Tip  that  is  on 
the  tail  of  Fox ;  by  the  Black  Gloss  that  is  on  the 
tail  of  Marten  ;  by  the  Perfume  that  is  on  the  tail 
of  Sikak ;  by  the  great,  bushy  tail  of  Blue  Wolf, 
and  the  short  tail  of  Bear ;  the  broad,  hairless 
tail  of  Beaver,  and  the  strong  tapered  tail  of 
Otter;  by  the  Kink  that  is  in  the  tail  of  Mink  ; 
by  the  much-haired  tail  of  Fisher;  the  white 
Cotton-tail  of  Rabbit,  the  fawn-coloured  tail  of 
Mooswa,  and  the  Bob-tail  of  Lynx ;  by  the 
feathered  tail  of  Whisky-Jack :  and  all  others 
according  to  their  Tail-mark,  we  swear  it.* 


THE 

"N 
his  wo 
"Y( 
rupted 
*'0 
fullv. 
horn, 
where 
the  Ru 
''  Of 
coming 
riving, 
horn, 
is  from 
Hog,h 
the  cole 
butter, 
soft, 
full  of  r 
a  Man 
River 


B 


ing. 


about 

and  wm 

toes  to 

"Be 


grily. 
our   1 


IVi 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     69 


"  Now,"  said  Black  King,  "  Fran9ois  will  have 
his  work  cut  out,  for  we  are  many  against  one." 

"  You  forget  The  Boy,  Your  Majesty,"  inter- 
rupted Carcajou. 

"  Oh,  he  does  n't  count,"  cried  Jack,  disdain- 
fully. "  He  's  a  Moneas  —  which  means  a  green- 
horn. He 's  new  to  the  Forest  —  has  lived 
where  the  paths  of  Man  are  more  plentiful  than 
the  Run-ways  in  Wapoos's  Muskeg. 

"  Of  course,  personally,  I  don't  mind  their 
coming  —  like  it;  it  means  free  food  without  far 
flying.  Oh,  but  The  Boy  is  a  wasteful  green- 
horn. When  he  fried  the  white  fat-meat,  which 
is  from  the  animal  that  dwells  with  Man,  the 
Hog,  he  poured  the  juice  out  on  the  leaves,  and 
the  cold  turned  it  into  food  like  butter  —  white 
butter.  Such  rich  living  will  make  my  voice 
soft.  The  Man-cub  has  a  voice  like  mine  — 
tull  of  rich,  sweet  notes.  Did  any  of  you  ever  hear 
a  Man  or  Man-cub  sing  '  Down  upon  the  Suwanee 
River '  ?  That 's  what  The  Boy  sang  this  morn- 
ing. But  I  don't  know  that  river  —  it's  not 
about  here;  and  in  my  time  I  have  flown  far 
and  wide  over  more  broad  streams  than  I  have 
toes  to  my  feet." 

"Be  still,  empty-head!"  cried  the  King,  an- 
grily. "  You  chatter  as  though  the  saving  of 
our   lives    were   good    fun.      Brother   Carcajou, 


"I'il 


'.M» 


I  j.'i* 


70 


MOOSWA 


Francois  needs  no  help.  For  five  years  he  has 
followed  me  for  my  Black  Coat  —  for  five  Win- 
ters I  have  eluded  his  Traps,  and  his  Baits,  and 
the  cough  of  his  Ironstick.  But  one  never 
knows  when  the  evil  day  is  to  come.  Last 
Winter  Fran9ois  trapped  on  Hay  River.  I  was 
there;  as  you  know,  it  is  a  great  place  for  Black 
Currants." 

"  Do  you  eat  the  hitter,  sour  Berries,  Your 
Majesty?"  queried   Marten. 

"  No,  Silly ;  except  for  the  flavour  of  them  that 
is  in  the  flesh  of  Gay  Cock,  the  Pheasant.  But 
it  is  in  every  child's  book  of  the  Fox  tribe,  that 
where  Berries  are  thick,  the  Birds  are  many." 

**  How  comes  Fran9ois  here  to  the  Pelican  this 
year,  then  ?  "  growled  Blue  Wolf 

"  Because  of  the  thing  Men  call  Fate,"  an- 
swered Black  King,  learnedly ;  "  though  they  do 
not  understand  the  shape  of  it.  We  call  it  the 
Whisper  of  Wiesahkechack.  Wiesahke  whis- 
pered to  me  that  because  of  the  fire  there  were 
no  Berries  at  Hay  River,  that  the  Birds  had  all 
come  to  the  Pelican  ;  and  1  have  no  doubt  that 
He,  who  is  the  King  of  evil  Mischief  Makers, 
har.  also  talked  in  thought-words  to  Fran9ois,  that 
here  is  much  fur  to  be  had  for  the  killing." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  Fran9ois,"  exclaimed 
Nekik,  the  Otter. 


s 


THE 

«  An( 
vears  sii 

"W-1 
a  Man 
about  — 

"Sav 
Jack;    ' 
Nose, 
years." 

The 
forth  wl 

"But 
continue 
Jack,  dc 
or  only 
I  do?  ] 
meditati 

"  Yoi 
snapped 

"Th( 
Muskw; 
once  sav 
river ;  I 
family 
heel." 

"Per 
terribly 

"  T'ou 


I 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  BOUNDARIES     71 

"  And  The  Boy  !  "  suggested  Mooswa.  "  It 's 
vears  since  I  saw  a  Man-cub." 

"  W-h-e-u-f-f- !  "  ejaculated  Muskwa.  "  I  saw 
;i  Man  once — Nichemous.  Did  I  tell  you 
;ibout  —  " 

"  Save  me  from  Owls!"  interrupted  Whisky- 
Jack  ;  "  that 's  your  stock-story,  old  Squeaky 
Nose.  I  've  heara  it  fifty  times  in  the  last  two 
years." 

The  Bear  stood  rocking  his  big  body  back  and 
forth  while  the  saucy  bird  chattered. 

"But  I  should  like  to  see  more  of  Man,"  he 
continued,  when  Jay  had  finished.  "  Tell  me. 
Jack,  do  they  always  walk  on  their  hind-legs  — 
or  only  when  they  are  going  to  kill  or  fight — as 
I  do?  I  think  we  must  be  cousins,"  he  went  on, 
meditatively. 

'•'  You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  it,  then ! " 
snapped  the   Bird. 

"They  leave  a  trail  just  like  mine,"  proceeded 
Muskwa,  paying  no  attention  to  the  Jay.  "  I 
once  saw  a  Man's  track  on  the  mud  bank  of  the 
river;  I  could  have  sworn  it  was  one  of  mv 
family  had  passed  —  a  long  foot-print  with  a 
heel." 

"  Perhaps  it  was  your  own  track  —  you  are  so 
terribly  stupid  at  times,"  suggested  Jack. 

"  l^ou  might  have  made  that  mistake,"  retorted 


'*'^^n|!f 


I-  '.m 

,     if 
.1 ..».» 


72 


MOOSWA 


m 


it 


Muskwa,  "  for  you  can  't  scent;  but  when  I  in- 
vestigated with  my  nose,  I  knew  that  it  was  Man. 
There  was  the  same  horrible  smell  that  came  to 
me  once  as  two  of  these  creatures  passed  down 
the  river  in  a  canoe,  whilst  I  was  eating  Berries 
by  the  water's  edge.  But  you  spend  most  of 
your  time  begging  a  living  from  these  Men,  Jack 
—  tell  me  if  they  generally  walk  as  I  do,  on  all 
fours  ?  " 

"Long  ago  they  did,  Muskwa;  when  their 
brains  were  small,  like  yours.  Then  they  devel- 
oped, and  got  more  sense,  and  learned  to  balance 
themselves  on  their  hind-legs." 

"  What's  the  use  of  having  four  legs  and  only 
usipq;  two  ?  "  grunted  Bear,  with  a  dissatisfied  air. 
I'ou  '11  find  out,  my  Fat  Friend,  if  you  come 
within  range  of  the  Ironstick  —  what  did  Niche- 
mous  try  to  do  ^  After  that  you  won't  ask  silly 
questions,  for  Fran9ois  will  take  your  skin,  dry 
it  in  the  sun,  and  put  your  brainless  head  on  a 
tree  as  a  Medicine  Offering  to  the  Hunt  Spirit; 
and  he  '11  take  your  big  carcass  home,  and  The 
Boy  will  help  him  eat  it.  Don  't  bother  me 
about  Man  —  if  you  want  to  knovv  his  ways, 
come  and  see  for  yourself." 

"  I  'd  like  to.  Clerk,"  answered  Bear,  humbly. 

"  They  're  going  to  build  a  house,"  asserted 
Whisky-Jack. 


THE  LAW  OF  THK  BOUNDARIKS     73 

"A  lodge !"  exclaimed  Beaver.  "Oh,  I  must 
see  that." 

"What  say  you,  Black  King?"  queried  Car- 
cajou. "  May  we  all  go  to-morrow,  and  see  this 
Trapper  and  The  Boy  —  think  you  it 's  safe  ?  " 

"  Better  now  than  when  the  Traps  are  set  and 
Firestick  loaded." 

So  they  arranged  amongst  themselves  to  go  at 
dawn  the  next  day,  and  watch  from  the  bush 
Frangois  and   Roderick. 

Then  the  meeting  broke  up. 


'  .;  •  HI 


;  .■•  I 


THE    BUILDING   OF   THE   SHACK 


it  ' 


NEXT  morning,  just  as  the  gray  oncoming 
Day  was  rolling  back  into  the  Forest 
depths  the  Night  curtain,  Muskwa,  who  was 
swinging  along  leisurely,  with  a  walk  like  a  Blue- 
Jacket,  towards  the  Trapper's  Camp,  discov- 
ered Wapoos  sitting  in  his  path. 

"  A  snareless  runway  to  you.  Little  Brother ! 
Are  you  heading  for  the  Shack  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  bleated  Wapoos  ;  "  I  'm  still  weak 
from  the  Seventh  Year  sickness,  and  hop  badly, 
I   fear." 

"  Jump  up.  Afflicted  One,  your  furry  stomach 
will  feel  warm  on  my  back, —  Huh!  huh!  this 
beastly  fog  that  comes  up  from  the  waters  of  the 
Athabasca  to  battle  with  the  sunlight  gets  into 
my  lungs.  I  shall  soon  have  to  creep  into  a 
warm  nest  for  my  long  sleep." 

"  Hast  seen  any  of  our  Comrades?"  queried 
Wapoos,  as  he  lay  in  the  velvet  cushion  of  black 
fur  that  was  a  good  four  inches  deep  on  Bear's 
back. 


THK  BUILDING  OF  THE  SMACK    75 


<< 


I  heard   Rof's  hoarse  bay  as  he  called  across 


i 


the    Pelican    to    some    one. 


Mere    is    Nekik's 


trail,  where  his  belly  has  scraped  all  the  mud 
spots." 

"  Are  n't  we  a  funny  lot  ? "  giggled  Wapoos. 
"  Mooswa's  legs  are  like  the  posts  of  Man's 
^^.;^che  —  so  long;  and  Otter's  are  like  the  knots 
on  a  tree  —  too  short.  See!  there  goes  Black 
King  and  his  red-headeil    Mother." 

"  That  is  the  queerest  outfit  in  the  Boundaries," 
chuckled  Muskwa.  "The  Widow  is  red,  and 
three  of  the  Sons  ;  the  Babe,  Stripes,  is  brown, 
with  a  dark  cross  on  his  back;  while  the  King  is 
as  black  as  my  Daddy  was.  Sweet  Honey  !  but 
his  coat  was  beautiful  — like  the  inside  of  a  hole 
on  a  pitch-dark  night.  There  is  a  family  of 
Half-breeds  up  at  The  Landing  just  like  the 
Widow's  lot.  Some  are  red-haired,  some  are 
brown,  and  some  are  black.  I  saw  them  once 
Fishing  at  Duck   Lake." 

"  Did  they  see  you,  Muskwa?  " 

"Am  I  not  here,  Little  Brother  —  therefore 
their  eyes  were  busy  with  the  Fish.  Wu-u-f-f ! 
I  catch  the  scent  of  Man.  Jump  down,  Wapoos  ; 
push  through  the  Willows  and  tell  me  what  thou 
seest." 

Bear  sat  on  his  haunches  and  waited. 

"  There  's  a  white  lodge,"  reported  Rabbit,  as 


76 


MOOSWA 


.ii» 


,'P 


« 


he  hopped  back,  "and  inside  is  a  throat-call  that 
is  not  of  our  Comrades." 

"That's  Man's  tepee;  most  like  it  was  The 
Boy's  song  your  big  ears  heard." 

They  went  forward  gingerly,  Wapoos  acting  as 
pilot.  In  a  little  open  space  where  Red  Stone 
Brook  emptied  into  the  Athabasca  was  a  small 
"  A  "  tent.  'I'he  two  comrades  lay  down  in  the 
willows  to  watch.  Soon  they  were  joined  by 
Black  King ;  Otter  was  already  there.  Then 
came  Blue  Wolf  and  Mooswa.  As  Carcajou 
joined  them,  Whisky-Jack  fluttered  into  the 
centre  of  the  party. 

"  That 's  a  Tent,"  he  said,  with  the  air  of  a 
courier  explaining  sights  to  a  party  of  tourists. 
"  The  Boy  is  putting  on  his  fur.  Do  you  hear 
his  song-cry  ?  " 

"  He  hath  a  full  stomach,"  growled  Rof,  "  for 
his  voice  is  rich  in  content.  What  is  the  cry, 
Bird  of  Knowledge?" 

"  It's  a  song  of  my  Crow  Cousins.  I  '11  re- 
peat a  line  for  your  fur-filled  ears :  — 

"  *  There  were  three  crows  sat  on  a  tree. 
And  they  were  black  as  crows  could  be ; 
Said  one  of  them  unto  his  mate. 
Let 's  catch  old  Carcajou  to  ate  !  *  '* 

"  All  of  a  kind  flock  together,"  retorted  Wol- 
verine ;  "  Birds,  and  Boys,  and  Fools  !  " 


THE  BUil.DlNC;  OK    rUl.  SHACK    77 


Jack  chuckled.  To  have  roused  CiU'cajou's 
ungcr  was  something  to  start  the  day  with. 

"  Plenty  of  Water  to  you  all,  Comrades," 
greeted  Beaver  pleasantly,  patting  a  smooth  seat 
for  himself  with  his  tail,  as  he  joineil  the  others. 

"  Where  is  the  Man  ?"  ijueried  Black  King. 

''Sleeping!"  answered  Jack.  "He  makes  a 
noise  with  his  nose  like  fat  Muskwa  does  when 
he  runs  from  Grizzly." 

•'I'hat's  a  pretty  lodge,"  remarked  Beaver, 
critically.     "  When  will  they  flood  it  ?  " 

"  Stupid  !  they  don't  live  in  water,"  reproved 
lav.  "If  it  is  wet  thev  make  a  little  hollow 
path  and  run  the  water  off." 

"  Is  that  a  Dead-fall,  Jack  ?  "  asked  Muskwa, 
pointing  his  gray  nozzle  at  a  small  square  build- 
ing that  was  three  logs  high. 

"  It's  their  Shack;  they  started  it  yesterday." 

"A  poor  Lodge!"  declared  Umisk.  "The 
first  flood  will  undermine  the  corners,  and  down 
it  will  come.  Have  they  no  trowel-tails  to  round 
it  up  with  good  blue-clay  ?  " 

"  Umisk,  you  should  travel.  Your  ideas  are 
limited.  Have  they  not  built  their  Shack  on 
high  ground  where  there  will   be  no  flood  ?  " 

"But  they'll  freeze  in  the  Winter,"  persisted 
Beaver.  "  The  water  would  keep  them  warm  if 
they  flooded  it." 


HV: 


fit 


'  .'.I 


78 


MOOSWA 


if 


"They've  got  a  stove,"  the  Courier  answered. 

"What's  a  stove?  "  asked  Lynx. 

"  You  '11  find  out,  Mister  Cat,  when  they  make 
bouillon  of  your  ribs.  It 's  that  iron-thing  with 
one  long  ear." 

"Is  that  their  breakfast  —  that  pile  of  wood- 
meat?  "  queried  Beavei. 

"Yes,  meat  for  the  stove,"  piped  Jack.  "  Do 
you  think  they  have  teeth  like  a  wood-axe  and 
eat  bark  because  you  do  ?  " 

"  They  have  queer  teeth,  sure  enough,"  re- 
torted Trowel  Tail.  "  See  this  tree  stump,  cut 
flat  from  two  sides,  all  full  of  notches,  as  though 
a  Kit-Beaver  who  did  n't  know  his  business  had 
nibbled  it  down.  How  in  the  name  of  Good 
Dams  they  can  fell  trees  into  a  stream  that  way 
I  can't  make  out.  This  tree  fell  on  land  and 
they  had  to  carry  the  logs.  They  're  silly  crea- 
tures and   have   much   to  learn." 

**  There  's  The  Boy  !  "  whispv^red  Jack,  nudg- 
ing Muskwa  in  the  ribs  with  his  wing. 

They  all  peered  eagerly  at  the  door  of  the 
tent,  for  a  white-skinned  hand  was  unlacing  it. 
Then  a  fair  face,  with  rosy  cheeks,  topped  by  a 
mass  of  yellow  hair,  was  thrust  through  the  open- 
ing, and  presently  a  lad  of  fourteen  stepped  out, 
stretched  his  arms  upward,  and  commenced  whist- 
ling like  a  bird. 


<c 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    79 


"That's  the  Boy-call,"  said  Black  King,  in  a 
soft  voice.  "  Listen,  Comrades,  so  that  we  may 
know  it.  Francois  gives  voice  to  the  Man-call : 
'Hi,  yi !  hi,  yi !  E-e-e-g-0-0-0-  ! '  which  means, 
in  their  talk,  *  Hear !  hear!  it  is  I  —  I — A 
Man ! '  That  is  because  they  claim  to  be 
Lords  of  all  the  Animal  Kingdom,  even  as  I  am 
Ruler  in  our  own  Boundaries." 

"  What  a  lovely  Pup  !  "  cried  the  Red  Widow, 
enthusiastically  ;  "  he's  got  yellow  hair  just  like 
my  Babe  —  look.  Stripes  !  Plump  Birds  !  but  I 
wish  I  had  him  in  my  litter." 

"  *  Pup,'  indeed  1 "  exclaimed  Whisky-Jack, 
indignantly.  "  A  Man-Boy  called  *  Pup,'  by  a 
frowsy  old  Fox   Widow." 

"  Clerk  I  "  interrupted  Black  King,  angrily. 

"  Fran9ois  !  Fran9ois  !  "  called  The  Boy,  put- 
ting his  face  inside  the  tent ;  "  the  sun  is  up,  the 
fog  is  gone,  and  I  'm  as  hungry  as  a  Wolf." 

Rof  started.  "  Gur-r-r- !  how  does  the  Cub 
know  my  stomach  is  lean  because  of  the  Seventh 
Year  famine  ? " 

A  pair  of  sharp,  black  eyes  gleamed  from  the 
tent  flap.  They  belonged  to  the  Half-breed 
Trapper,  Fran9ois. 

"  Move  back.  Brothers,  a  little  into  the  Wil- 
lows," whispered  Black  King ;  "  he  has  Devil- 
eyes,  like  Wolverine." 


.        S5 

■I  «<.| 


8o 


MOOSWA 


"  His  Majesty  flatters  you,  Carcajou,"  sneered 
Whisky-Jack. 

Fran9ois  came  out,  took  his  axe,  and  made 
some  shavings  from  a  Jack-pine  stick. 

"  Will  they  eat  that  ?  "  asked  Beaver. 

The  Breed  stepped  over  to  a  Birch  tree,  peeled 
from  its  side  a  handful  of  silver,  ribbon-like  bark, 
and  lighted  it  with  a  match  ;  it  blazed  and  crackled 
like  oil-soaked  shavings.  Then  he  shoved  it  into 
the  stove,  put  chips  and  three  sticks  of  wood  in, 
shut  the  door,  and  thick  black  smoke  curled  up 
from  the  stove  pipe.  The  animals  stared  with 
extraordinary  interest. 

Whisky-Jack  craned  his  head,  and  watched 
the  effect  of  this  magic  on  his  Comrades. 

"  That 's  the  Devil-thing  that  destroyed  all  the 
Birds  and  their  Eggs,"  said  the  Red  Widow. 
"It's  the  Man-fire." 

Blue  Wolf  was  trembling.     "  E-u-h  !  E-u-h  !  " 
he  whined  ;   "  Man  's  Fire-medicine.      It  grows 
like    the    wind,    and    destroys    like    the    Rabbit 
plague.     Once   seven    Brothers  of  mine   stalked 
a  Man   and  he  started  this   Fire-medicine." 
What  happened,  Rof  ?  "  asked  Carcajou. 
The  Man  escaped." 
And  your  Seven  Brothers  ?  " 

"  This  red-poison  ate  them  as  Otter  devours  a 
Fish  — bones  and  all." 


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(( 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    8i 


"  I  think  the  stove  is  a  good  thing,"  decided 
Black  King.     "The  Man-fire  is  in  a  Trap." 

"  Yes,  the  Fire-trap  is  a  good  thing,"  con- 
curred his  Mother,  "  if  we  wish  to  save  the 
Birds." 

"  And  the  Rabbits  !  "  added  Lynx. 

"  And  the  Berries  !  "  grunted  Muskwa. 

"  The  purple  Moose-weed  grows  after  fire  has 
eaten  the  Forest,"  mused  Mooswa  ;  "and  if  it 
irlows  hot  and  red  on  one  river  bank  I  swim  to 
the  other." 

"  It 's  all  right  for  you,  Long-legs,  Pudding- 
nose,  Bob-tail,"  gibed  Whisky-Jack;  "but  the 
Law  of  the  Boundaries  is  for  the  good  of  all,  and 
this  Fire-trap  is  a  fine  thing.  I  hate  to  have  hot 
coals  falling  on  my  feathers,  when  the  Forest  is 
on   fire." 

The  smoke  curled  lazily  riverward,  away  from 
the  animals.  Suddenly  it  veered  about  and  the 
pungent  perfume  of  burning  Birch-bark  came 
toward  them. 

Mooswa  straightened  his  massive  head,  spread 
the  nostrils  of  his  great  cushion-shaped  nose, 
cocked  his  thick  ears  forward  intently,  and  dis- 
criminated between  the  different  scents  that  came 
floating  on  the  sleepy  morning  air. 

"The  fire  breath  — Wh-e-e  !  "  It  tickled  a 
cough  in  his  throat.     "  The  odour  of  the  Half- 


.1  **» 


82 


MOOSWA 


!ttl    '^' 


breed,"  ugh!  he  knew  that — it  was  the  Man- 
smell.  "  But  stop  !  What?"  A  something  out 
of  the  long  ago  crept  into  his  sensitive  nostrils 
and  touched  his  memory.  Surely  once  it  had 
been  familiar. 

The  Boy  crossed  directly  in  the  wind's  path, 
a;id  Mooswa  got  it  stronger.  Then  he  knew. 
His  big  eyes  glistened  softly,  eagerly ;  it  was  the 
scent  of  the  Lad  he  had  played  with  in  his 
youth. 

"  Comrades,"  he  gurgled,  for  something  was  in 
his  throat,  "  have  I  not  told  you  of  the  Boy  who 
was  the  Factor's  Young  ?  " 

"Whenever  you  got  a  chance!"  snapped 
Whisky-Jack. 

Mooswa  sighed  wearily.  Jack's  frivolity  was 
tiring  to  his  sedate  mind. 

"  Well,  that 's  my  Boy  there.  I  'd  like  to 
rub  my  nose  against  i.is  rose-flowered  cheek." 

"  While  Fran9ois  tickled  your  lean  ribs  with 
the   Firestick  ! "  jeered  the  Bird. 

"  Bring  a  pot  of  water,"  said  Francois  to  his 
comrade, "  while  I   cut  up  the  fish." 

"  Great  Suckers  !  "  exclaimed  Nekik  ;  "  Fish  ! 
and  a  beauty,  too.  It 's  a  Tulabie.  I  know 
them;  they're  first  cousin  to  White-fish.  These 
men  have  fine  taste  —  a  fish  diet  makes  one 
clever." 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    83 


i 


"  It  does  !  "  declared  Mink. 

"  It 's  better  than  roots  !  "  concurred  Muskrat. 

"  Slow  Birds !  it  makes  me  hungry,"  sighed 
the  Red   Widow. 

"  So  it  does  me,  Good  Dame,"  piped  Whisky- 
Jack.  "  You  chaps  had  better  slip  away  home 
now;  I  'm  going  to  breakfast  with  the  Men.  It 
is  n't  safe  to  remain,  for  I  can't  stop  to  look  after 
you." 

"  Go  and  clear  the  plates.  Feather-front," 
cried  Carcajou,  malignantly. 

Jack  sawed  the  air  energetically  with  his  wings 
and  lighted  on  the  wire  guy  with  which  Fran9ois 
had  steadied  the  stove  pipe. 

"Shall  we  move.  Comrades?"  asked  Black  King 

"  Wait  and  see  how  Jack  gets  on  with  The 
Boy,"  pleaded    Mooswa. 

"  I  could  sit  here  and  smell  that  Fish  all  day," 
declared  Nekik. 

"So  could  I,"  added  Mink.  "It's  just 
lovely.  I  've  never  tasted  Fish  dried  in  the  fire- 
pot.  Once  I  stole  one  from  a  Trapper  which  he 
had  dried  in  the  sun —  there  was  no  juice  in  it." 

"  Pe-e-p  !  Peep  !  "  squeaked  Whisky-Jack. 
The  Boy  looked  up  at  him. 

"  What  a  frowsy-headed  old  bird ! "  he  ex- 
claimed, shying  a  stick  at  Jay. 

Muskwa  dug  Mooswa  in  the  ribs  with  his  big 


7  f  n% 


84 


MOOSWA 


i  !lf   :lll 


(I 
II 


paw.     "  We  Ml  see  fun  yet  if  we  wait,"  he  chuckled 
thickly. 

"  Don't  bodder  'bout  dat  fell*,"  remonstrated 
Francois;  "dat's  only  Whisky-Jack." 

"  Only  what  ?  "  asked  the  lad. 

"What  dey  call  Canadienne  Jay — Whisky- 
Jack." 

"Shall  I  shoot  him?" 

"  No ;  dat  fell'  no  good,  but  he  's  not  wort'  de 
powder  an'  s'ot." 

Jack  heard  a  faint  giggle  come  up  from  the 
gray  willows,  for  Wolverine  had  his  big-clawed 
fist  half-way  down  his  throat  to  choke  the  sound 
of  laughter. 

"  Our  Clerk's  Men  Friends  are  compliment- 
ary," remarked  Black  King. 

The  Boy  cut  a  small  piece  of  fat  pork,  stuck  it 
on  a  sharp  stick,  and  busied  himself  somewhat  at 
the  stove  front ;  but  the  watchers  could  not 
quite  see  what  he  was  doing. 

"  I  think  I  '11  give  Jay  some  breakfast,"  he 
said  suddenly;  "the  bird  seems  hungry:"  and 
straightening  his  back,  threw  towards  him  the 
lump  of  pork. 

With  a  pleased  chuckle  Jack  swooped  down 
and  d^'ove  his  beak  into  the  white  mass  like  a 
lance.  Then  he  went  through  a  rare  set  of 
gymnastic  contortions,  for  the  wicked  Boy   had 


((. 


suppt 
Bird .? 


(( 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    85 

heated  the  pork  scalding  hot.  Jack  clawed  at  it 
with  his  feet  and  burnt  his  toes  —  his  tongue 
was  blistered. 

"  What 's  that  noise  ?  "  exclaimed  Rod,  for  a 
distinct  muffled  laugh  had  escaped  from  the  band 
of  animals. 

"  It 's  de  float-ice  groundin'  on  de  ribber- 
hanks,  I  tink  me,"  answered  Francois,  cocking 
his  head  sideways  to  listen. 

As  the  animals  slipped  away  in  alarm,  Jack 
came  flufling  after  them,  and  perched  himself 
indignantly  on   Mooswa's  great  antlers. 

"O  my  Giant  Brother!"  he  cried  furiously, 
"come  and  kill  that  debased  Man-Cub,  I  beg  you." 

The  Moose's  shaggy  sides  were  heaving  with 
suppressed  laughter.  "  What  has  he  done.  Sweet 
Bird  ?  "  he  moaned. 

"  Taken  the  skin  oflF  my  toes,  and  blistered  my 
tongue  with  his  accursed  fat  pork." 

"  Why  don't  you  wear  boots  as  I  do,  and  not 
knock  around  barefooted?  I  should  be  always 
jamming  my  toes  if  1  had  n't  these  thick  boots. 
Why,  last  year  when  the  big  fire  was  on,  I  went 
through  miles  of  burning  country,  and  except  a 
little  hardening  up  of  the  soles,  there  was  no 
harm  done." 

"  But  you  don't  wear  them  on  your  tongue, 
do  you  ?  "  asked  the  Bird,  crossly. 


r!r,j,|J^ 


m 


86 


MOOSWA 


>iiii  t 


■■»  i 


"  No,  Silent  One,  I  don't  —  neither  do  you  ; 
but  if  you  'II  just  wrap  it  up  for  a  few  days  and 
give  it  a  rest,  I  'm  sure  it  will  be  all  right." 

"  Do,"  cried  Carcajou  ;  "  we  sha'n't  mind.  I 
suppose  that 's  what  The  Boy  calls  his  Tongue 
Trap  —  he  knew  whom  to  set  it  for,  too." 

"  Come  and  trample  him  with  your  sharp  hoofs, 
dear  Mooswa,"  pleaded  Whisky-Jack,  the  lack 
of  sympathy  and  the  chaff  making  him  furious. 

"  Oh,  sit  still,  if  you  're  going  to  ride  on  my 
horns,"  exclaimed  the  Bull.  "  You  're  jigging 
about  —  " 

"As  though  he  had  corns,"  interrupted  Car- 
cajou. 

"  It  was  so  nice  of  you,  Whisky-Jack,"  said 
Lynx,  in  vn  oily  tone,  "to  take  care  of  us  all 
while  we  were  there  —  wasn't  it?  Some  of  us 
might  have  burned  our  tongues  but  for  you 
destroying  the  hot  Bait." 

When  the  animals  got  back  to  their  meeting- 
place,  which  was  known  as  the  Boundary  Centre, 
they  stopped  for  a  time  to  compare  notes. 

"  Comrades,"  said  Mooswa,  "  little  have  I 
claimed  from  you.  I  kill  not  anything  ;  neither 
the  Fox  Cubs,  nor  the  Sons  of  Umisk,  nor  the 
red-tailed  Birds  that  beat  their  wings  like  drums, 
nor  anything.  But  this  new  law  I  ask  of  you 
all  in  the  face  of  the  King  ;  for  the  Be  y  that  was 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    87 


my  Man-brother,  the  safeguard  of  the  Boun- 
daries." 

"  You  have  not  had  the  hot-meat  thrust  in 
your  throat,  friend  of  the  rascally  Cub,'  objected 
Jack,  angrily. 

"Hush,  Chatterer!"  growled  Bear;  "let 
Mooswa  speak." 

"  The  horn-crowned  Lord  of  the  Forest  gives 
expression  to  a  noble  sentiment,"  declared  P.^ew. 
"  By  all  means  let  the  Kit-Man  grow  free  of  the 
Boundary  Fear,  until  his  claws  are  long  and  his 
bone-cracking  teeth  are  strong." 

"  He  must  have  a  Mother  also,"  said  the  Red- 
Widow  softly.  "  You  have  all  forsworn  malice 
to  my  Babe,  Stripes,  until  he  is  of  full  strength  — 
let  the  Man-Cub  have  the  same  guard." 

"  What  about  Fran9ois  ? "  objected  Whisky- 
Jack.  "  By  my  Stone-crop  I  '11  wager  he  taught 
that  Chick  the  trick  of  the  hot  pork." 

"  For  him,"  continued  Mooswa,  gravely,  "  in 
defence  of  our  rights  and  our  lives  the  full  law  of 
the  Forest ;  by  night,  the  lone  road  and  the  cry 
of  Blue  Wolf  and  his  Brothers  ;  by  day,  the 
strong  clasp  of  Muskwa;  at  close  quarters,  the 
stamp  of  my  hoofs ;  and  for  his  Traps  and  their 
Bait,  the  cunning  of  Carcajou  and  Black  King." 

"  This  is  fair  —  it  is  a  good  Law,"  said  Black 
Fox. 


■'Kt 


"Hi 

■■'iS 


1^ 


88 


MOOSWA 


I  ' 


( r 


■•■«   < 


"  It  is  !  "  they  all  cried  in  chorus. 

"  I  am  satisfied  !  "  added  the  Moose. 

"  1  think  it  would  be  well,  Subjects,"  said  Black 
King,  thoughtfully,  "  to  watch  this  Man  and 
Man-Cub  until  the  setting  out  of  the  Traps; 
after  that  we  can  regulate  our  lives  in  accordance. 
How  long  will  it  take  them  to  build  their  Shack, 
Clerk  ?  " 

"  Four  days,  Francois  told  The  Boy  last  even- 
ing, as  he  smoked  the  scent-flower." 

"  Then  on  the  fourth  day,  three  or  four  of  us 
who  are  quick  travellers  had  better  go  and  watch 
the  evil  ways  of  this  Slaver.  What  say  you 
all?" 

"  Most  wise  King,"  exclaimed  Pisew,  "  select 
thou  the  Strong  Runners." 

"  Very  well  :  Mooswa,  Muskwa,  Rof,  and  my- 
self—  also  Carcajou,  for  he  has  great  knowledge 
of  Man  the   Killer's  ways." 

"  I  should  like  to  set  the  lodge  when  it  is 
finished,"  whined  Beaver,  "  but  my  short  little 
fore-legs  travel  not  overfast  on  land." 

"  So  you  shall,  Comrade,"  growled  Muskwa; 
"  You  may  ride  on  my  back." 

"Or  on  my  antlers,"  suggested  Mooswa; 
"  their  bowl  will  be  like  a  cradle  for  you." 

"  That 's  settled,  then,"  declared  Black  Fox. 
"  On  the  fourth   round   of  the  Sun  we  meet  at 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  SHACK    89 


F>an9ois's  Shack,  in  the  safety  time  of  the  Forest, 
dawn  hour  ;  cither  that  or  dusk  hour.  What  say 
you  Brothers —  which  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"  It  would  suit  me  better  on  account  of  my 
work,"  ventured  Umisk,  "to  go  at  dusk  hour. 
1  have  lost  much  time  lately,  and  I'm  building 
new  lodges  for  my  three-year-old  Sons  who  are 
starting  out  for  themselves  this  Fall." 

"  Don't  be  late,  then —  I  go  to  bed  at  dusk," 
lisped  Whisky-Jack,  mincingly,  for  his  tongue 
was  wondrous  sore.  "  I  will  take  note  of  what 
the  Men  do  in  the  meantime." 

"  And  take  care  of  us,  O  Wise  Bird,"  sneered 
Pisew. 

"  Big-feet  !  Spear-ear  !  Herring-waist !  "  fairly 
screamed  Jay,  forgetting  the  sore  tongue  in  his 
rage.  "  Before  Winter  is  over,  you  '11  be  glad  of 
Jack's  advice,  or  I  don't  know  F'ran9ois." 

"  The  white  of  a  Partridge  egg  is  good  for  a 
burn,"  retorted  Lynx.  "  Find  one  and  cool  your 
fevered  tongue." 

"  Are  not  these  wranglers  just  like  Men,  Car- 
cajou ?  "  remarked  Mooswa.  "  If  you  all  spent 
more  time  in  lawful  hunt  for  food  you  would  be 
fatter.  It  will  profit  me  more  to  browse  in  the 
Forest  than  listen  to  your  frost-singed  wit,  so  I 
leave  you.  Comrades." 

"  And  I  prefer  even  fat  Frogs  to  hot  fat  Pork," 


tH 

'•I 


90 


MOOSWA 


said  Pisew,  maliciously,  slinking  like  a  shadow 
into  the  woods. 

"  '  Fat  Frogs,'  "  sneered  Carcajou  ;  "  good 
enough  for  that  smooth-faced  Sneak  —  I  hardly 
know  what  I  'm  going  to  have  for  dinner, 
though." 

"  Fat  Birds  are  the  thing  to  tickle  my  appe- 
tite," declared  Black  King.  "  It  is  coming  the 
time  of  day  for  them  to  shove  their  heads  under 
wing,  too.  I  'm  off — remember  we  meet  on  the 
Fourth  day." 


lows 


I 


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Beave 
<<  V 

Jack. 

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front 
turn 
of  pla 

It 
forth 

"Y 
time 
legs 


THK    KXPLORATION    OK    CARCAJOU 


AT  sunset  on  the  Fourth  day  Black  King  and 
his  party  once  more  crouched  in  the  wil- 
lows at  Red  Stone  Brook.  Fran9ois  and  his 
young  friend  were  just  putting  some  finishing 
touches  to  the  Shack  roof —  placing  the  last  earth 
sods  on  top  of  the  poles,  for  it  was  a  mud 
covering. 

"  It's  nearly  finished,"  whispered  Jay. 

"  Strong  Teeth  !  but  that  is  funny,"  laughed 
Beaver. 

"  What  is  funny.  Eater  of  Wood  ?  "  queried 
Jack. 

"Why,  the  Man  carries  his  trowel-tail  in  his 
front  paws.  I  wish  I  could  do  that.  I  have  to 
turn  around  to  look  when  I  *m  doing  a  nice  bit 
of  plastering." 

It  was  the  Half-breed's  spade  that  had  drawn 
forth  this  remark. 

"Yes,"  declared  Whisky-Jack  wisely,  "one 
time  the  Men  were  like  you  —  walked  on  four 
legs   and   used   a   trowel-tail   for   their  building ; 


HV. 


'lit*   :||f; 


l!    !»  " 


^     ■'     '   ■' 


92 


MOOSWA 


now  they  stand  upright,  and  have  shed  the  trowel 
which  they  use  in  their  hands." 

"  Wonderful  !  "  soHloquized  Umisk  ;  "  still 
they  an't  do  as  good  work.  Fat  Poplar  !  but 
it 's  a  poor  Lodge.  Fhe  only  sensible  thing 
about  it  is   the   mud   roof." 

Fran9ois  struck  the  clod  sharply  with  his  spade, 
settling  it  into  place.  "  How  clumsily  the  Man 
works,"  cried  Beaver ;  "  I  'm  glad  my  tail  is 
where  it  is.  What 's  that  mud  thing  sticking  up 
out  of  the  corner.  Jay  ?  Is  it  a  little  lodge  for 
the  Kit-Man  ? " 

"  That 's  a  chimney  —  part  of  the  fire-trap," 
answered  Jack. 

"  I  know  what  that's  like,"  asserted  Carcajou. 
"  I  went  down  one  once.  The  Trapper  locked 
his  door,  thinking  to  keep  me  out  while  he 
rounded  up  his  Traps.  It's  a  splendid  trail  for 
getting  in  and  out  of  a  Shack.  Why,  I  can  carry 
a  side  of  bacon  up  that  hole  —  did  it." 

"  Is  n't  The  Boy  lovely  ^  "  muttered  Mooswa. 
"Isn't  his  call  sweet .^  What  does  Fran9ois 
name  him.  Jack —  Man-Cub  or  Kit-Man  .f*  " 

Just  then  the  Half-breed  sang  out :  "  Rod,  I 
t'ink   me  it's  grub   time  —  knock   off.     De   ole 


gi 


'ack 


s  e  s 


mis 


(( 


Rod  ?  "    mused   the    Moose.     "  Yes,  that 
what  the  Factor  used  to  call  him.     '  Rod  !  Rod  ! 


IS 


% 


i( 


« 


EXPLORATION   OF   CARCAJOU     93 


up 
for 


he  would  shout,  and  The  Boy  would  run  with  his 
little  fat  legs." 

Rod  and  the  Half-breed  went  inside,  closed 
the  door  and  lighted  a  candle,  for  it  was  growing 
dark,  put  a  fire  in  the  stove  and  cooked  their 
supper. 

The  watchers,  eager  to  see  everything,  edged 
cautiously  up  to  the  log  walls.  Space  for  a 
small  window  had  been  left  by  the  builders,  but 
the  sash  was  not  yet  in  place. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  that  mud-work  the  Man 
did  with  his  hand-trowel,"  whispered  Umisk. 

*'  Climb  on  my  horns,  Little  Brother,"  said 
Mooswa,  softly,  "  and  I  will  lift  you  up." 

Beaver  slipped  around  gently  on  the  roof  in- 
specting Fran9ois's  handicraft,  while  the  others 
listened  at  the  window. 

"  By  Goss  !  Rod,"  said  the  Breed,  "  I  put  me 
leetle  fire  in  de  fire-place  for  dry  dat  c'imney, 
s'e  's  sof.  De  fros'  spoil  him  when  s'e  's  no 
dry." 

"  I  believe  they  have  made  the  chimney  too 
small,"  muttered  Carcajou.  "  I  'm  going  up  to 
have  a  look." 

"  To-mor'  we  put  out  dat  Traps,"  remarked  the 
Half-breed.  "  What  you  t'ink.  Boy  —  I  see  me 
dat  Black  Fox  yesterday." 

"  The    Black    Fox ! "    exclaimed    his    young 


ij-r; 


!  ■>.  (If 


94 


MOOSWA 


i!i 


*  :i  if; 


I? 


I    !»  ■!■ 


companion,  eagerly.  "  The  beauty  you  spoke  of 
as  being  in  this  part  of  the  country  ?  " 

llie  King  trembled.  Already  this  terrible 
Trapper  was  on  his  trail. 

"Yes;  I  know  me  where  he  have  hes  hole.  I 
put  dat  number  t'ree  Otter  Trap  close  by,  cover 
him  wit'  leaves,  an'  put  de  fis'-head  bait  on  top. 
Den  we  see.  We  keel  plenty  fur  here  dis  Winter. 
Dere  's  big  moose  track  too  —  mus'  be  bull." 

Black  King  scratched  Mooswa's  fore-leg  with 
a  paw  to  draw  his  attention,  but  the  latter  had 
heard. 

"  I  make  some  snare  to-night,  an'  put  him  out 
wit*  Castoreum.     Dere  's  plenty  Cat  here." 

Lynx  shuddered. 

"  We  must  help  each  other,"  he  whined,  in  a 
frightened  voice. 

Mooswa  felt  a  little  pat  on  his  lofty  horn,  and 
looked  up.  "  Lift  me  down.  Brother,"  whispered 
Beaver. 

"Where's  Carcajou?"  queried  the  King. 

"  Poking  around  the  chimney  —  he  made  me 
nervous." 

"Wuf!"  snifFed  Muskwa,  gently.  "Our 
Man.  burns  the  stink-weed  in  his  mouth  —  it's 
horrible  !  "      Fran9ois  was  smoking. 

Carcajou  was  busy  examining  the  mud-and- 
stick  wall  of  the  chimney,  which  stuck  up  three 


EXPLORATION    OF   CARCAJOU     95 


feet  above  the  roof.  "  I  *m  sure  they  've  made  it 
too  small,"  he  muttered ;  "  I  '11  never  be  able  to 
get  down.  That  will  be  too  bad.  By  my  Cun- 
ning !  but  I  *d  like  to  know  for  sure —  I  will !  " 
For  nothing  on  earth  will  satisfy  a  Wolverine's 
curiosity  but  complete  investigation. 

He  gave  a  spring,  grabbed  the  top  of  the 
chimney  with  his  strong  fore-legs,  and  pulled  him- 
self up.  As  he  did  so  the  soft  mud  collapsed 
and  sank  with  a  tremendous  crash  through  the 
hole  in  the  roof,  carrying  the  reckless  animal 
with  it. 

"  Run  for  it !  "  commanded  Black  King, 
sharply ;  "  that  mischievous  Devil  has  made  a 
mess  of  the  business." 

"  Whif!  Wuf!  Whiff!"  grunted  Bear,  plung- 
ing through   the  thicket. 

Black  Fox  melted  silently  into  the  Forest 
darkness  as  swiftly  as  a  cloud-shadow  crosses  a 
sunlit  plain. 

Lynx  gathered  his  sinewy  legs  and  fairly 
spurned  the  earth  in  far-reaching  bounds. 

Beaver  had  been  sitting  curled  up  in  the  bowl 
of  Mooswa's  antlers,  peeping  in  the  window  at 
the  time  of  Carcajou's  mishap.  His  quick  brain 
took  in  the  situation.  Grasping  the  two  strong 
front  points,  he  squeaked,  "  Fly,  Mooswa !  " 

"  Sit   tight,  Little  Brother !  "  admonished  the 


m 


96 


MOOSWA 


If  ■ 


W  «  'I, 
IB  »  t 


Moose,  putting  his  nose  straight  out  and  laying 
the  horn-crown  back  over  his  withers,  as  he 
rushed  with  a  peculiar  side-wheel  action,  like  a 
pacing-horse,  from  the  clearing. 

When  the  crash  came  Francois  jumped  to  his 
feet  in  amazement.  Before  he  could  investigate 
the  mass  of  mud  upheaved,  a  small  dark-brown 
body  scuttled  across  the  floor  clattered  up  the 
wall,  and  vanished  through  the  open  window. 

The  Breed  jumped  for  the  door,  grabbing 
a  gun  as  he  went.  Throwing  it  open  he  rushed 
out,  but  of  course  there  was  nothing  in  sight. 
Wolverine  was  busily  engaged  in  working  his 
short  legs  to  their  full  capacity  in  an  earnest 
endeavour  to  place  considerable  territory  between 
himself  and  the  treacherous  Shack. 

Fran9ois  came  back  grunting  his  dissatisfaction. 

Rod  stood  in  speechless  amazement  while  his 
companion  examined  the  pile  of  soft  mud  debris 
critically  by  the  aid  of  a  candle. 

"I  t'ought  me  dat!"  he  remarked,  with  satis- 
fied conviction,  straightening  his  back  and  setting 
the  candle  down  on  the  rude  plank  table.  "  It's 
dat  Debil  of  de  Woods,  Carcajou.  Wait  you, 
Mister  Wolverine ;  Francois  s'ow  you  some 
treek." 

*  What  was  he  after  ?  "  queried  The  Boy. 

*'  After  for  raise  Ole  Nick,"  declared  the  Half- 


: 


t 


EXPLORATION    OF    CARCAJOU     97 


breed,  dejectedly.  "  You  know  what  we  mus* 
do?  We  mus'  ketc'  dat  debil  firs',  or  we  keel 
no  fur  here.  He  steal  de  bait,  an'  cac'e  de  Trap  ; 
s'pose  we  go  out  from  de  S'ack,  dat  Carcajou 
come  down  de  c'imney,  tear  up  de  clo'es,  spill  de 
farina  —  de  flour,  t'row  de  pot  in  de  ribber,  an' 
do  ever'  fool  t'ing  what  you  can  t'ink.  Never 
mind,  I  ketc'  him,  an'  I  keel  him  ; "  and  Fran9ois 
fairly  danced  a  Red  River  jig  in  his  rage. 

Whisky-Jack  had  perched  on  the  end  of  a 
roof-plate  log  when  the  trouble  materialized,  so 
he  heard  this  tirade  against  Wolverine.  The 
Bird  could  hardly  go  to  sleep  for  chuckling. 
What  a  sweet  revenge  he  would  have  next  day ; 
how  he  would  revile  Wolverine.  Surely  the 
unfortunate  Carcajou  had  scorched  his  feet,  and 
mayhap  his  back,  when  he  fell  in  the  fire-place. 
"  I  wonder  whose  toes  are  sore  to-night,"  the  Jay 
thought.  "I  hope  he  got  a  good  singeing  — 
meddling  beast  !  Nice  Lieutenant  to  upset 
everything  just  when  we  were  having  such  a 
lovely  time.  Oh,  but  I  '11  rub  it  into  him 
to-morrow." 


'■  m 


THE   SETTING  OUT   OF   THE  TRAPS 


(C 


R 


OYAL  Son,"  said  the   Red   Widow  next 
mornii 


in 


w 


hat  is  the   Burrow  of  the 


Men-Kind  like?" 

"Ask  Carcajou  when  he  comes,  Mother," 
repHed  Black  Fox  ;  and  he  related  the  incident 
of  the  night  before. 

"Art  sure.  Son,  that  the  Kit-Man's  Mother  is 
not  with  him  ?  " 

"  No,  Dame,  she  is  not." 

"  Then  he  will  get  into  trouble  —  that  is  cer- 
tain. I  have  looked  after  you  all  —  a  big  family, 
too,  nine  of  you  —  and  know  what  it  means. 
Pisew,  with  his  cannibal  taste  for  Fox-cubs  — 
and  mark  this.  Son,  even  Carcajou  has  a  weak- 
ness the  same  way,  my  Mother  taught  me  to 
understand.  And  Rof,  who  seems  such  a  big, 
gruff,  kind-hearted  fellow,  would  crack  one  oi 
your  backs  with  liis  great  jaws  quick  enough  in 
the  Hunger-year,  were  no  one  looking.  Mooswa 
is  honest,  but  the  others  bear  him  no  love, 
surely.     And  Fran9ois  is  to  set  out   the   Traps 


SETTING    OUT   OF   THF    TRAPS 


99 


to-day,  and  he  has  discovered  our  home  here  in 
this  cut-bank,  you  say.  Well,  Son,  thou  art  the 
King,  because  of  thy  Wisdom  ;  but  together  we 
must  advise  against  this  Slayer,  who  has  the  cun- 
ning of  Carcajou  and  the  Man-knowledge  of 
Wiesahkechack." 

"  What  shall  we  do.  Dame  ?  " 

"  Now,  thy  red  Brother,  Speed,  must  take  the 
message  to  the  strong  runners  of  our  Comrades, 
Mooswa  and  the  others,  as  has  been  arranged,  to 
meet ;  and  when  Fran9ois  has  passed  with  the 
Traps,  go  you  five  after  this  Man,  and  gain 
knowledge  of  where  they  are  placed,  and  do  all 
things  necessary  for  safety  In  the  Boundaries. 
The  Watcher  over  Animals  has  sent  soft  snow 
last  night,  the  first  of  this  Cold-time,  so  your 
task  will  be  easy.  Just  the  length  of  a  brisk 
run,  higher  up  the  Pelican,  is  a  cut-bank  with  a 
hole  as  good  as  this.  Before  you  were  born, 
with  your  beautiful  silver  coat,  I   lived  there. 

"  Now,  Fran9ois,  even  as  he  told  the  Man- 
Cub,  will  trap  here,  and  who  knows  but  he  may 
put  his  Fire-medicine  with  its  poison  breath  in 
the  door  of  our  Burrow,  and  seek  to  drive  us 
out  to  be  killed." 

"  That  is  true,  Most  Wise  Mother ;  the  sight 
of  the  twisting  red-poison  is  more  dreadful  than 
anything ;  for  it   smothers  and    eats  up,    and   is 


i-.l 


lOO 


MOOSWA 


i-  Ip  »  ''  ' 

'  if 


swift  as  the  wind,  and  spreads  like  the  flood  in 
the  river,  and  fears  neither  Man  nor  Beast,  and 
obeys  not  even  the  Spirit  God  of  the  Animals 
when  it  is  angered." 

"  Well,  Son,  while  you  follow  the  trail  of  this 
evil  Trapper,  I,  with  all  your  Brothers,  will  go  to 
the  other  Burrow." 

"  Be  sure  the  Cubs  step  all  in  one  track. 
Mother  —  your  track,  so  this  Breed  Man,  with 
his  sharp  eyes,  shall  not  suspect." 

"  Do  you  hear.  Cubs  ? "  asked  the  Widow. 
"  Remember  what  your  Brother  has  said.  Also 
each  day  one  of  us  will  make  a  fresh  trail  here, 
so  that  the  Man  may  think  we  still  live  in 
this  house." 

So  while  Speed  glided  swiftly  through  the 
Boundaries  uttering  his  whimper  call  to  Mooswa, 
Muskwa,  Rof,  and  Carcajou,  Fran9ois  and  Rod 
shouldered  each  a  bag  of  Traps  and  started  to 
lay  out  the  Marten  Road,  as  was  called  a  big 
circle  of  Traps  extending  perhaps  thirty  miles, 
for  the  Winter's  hunt. 

The  Boy  was  filled  with  eager,  joyous  antici- 
pation. During  his  school  days  in  town  he 
had  thought  and  dreamed  of  the  adventurous 
free  life  of  a  Fur  Trapper  in  the  great  Spruce 
Forests  of  the  North.  That  was  chiefly  because 
it  was  bred  in  the  bone  with  him.     He   threw 


ill 


r  ■  at 


.1  ...  '■  «• 


«<  nkT  " 


CAT,"    ANSWERED   FRANCOIS;   "DAT'S   MISTER   LYNK." 


...  c 


m 


SEl 

back 
as  tru 
his  f( 
time 

"I 
stopp 
built 
theg 
a  smi 
beyoi 

"\ 
comp 
some 

"C 
Lynk 
him  < 
haps 

He 
thick, 
noose 
stock; 
head 
down 
noose 

explai 
t'roug 
no  m 


SETTING    OUT    OF   THE   TRAPS    loi 


back  to  the  forty  years  of  his  father's  Factor-life 
as  truly  as  an  Indian  retains  the  wild  instinct  of 
his  forefathers,  though  he  delve  for  half  a  life- 
time in  the  civilization  of  the  White  Man. 

"  Here  is  de  Marten  tracks,"  cried  Francois, 
stopping  suddenly  ;  and  with  precise  celerity  he 
built  a  little  converging  stockade  by  placing  in 
the  ground  sharp-pointed  sticks.  In  this  he  set 
a  small  steel  Trap,  covered  it  with  leaves,  and 
beyond  placed  the  head  of  a  fish. 

"What's  that  track?"  asked  The  Boy,  as  his 
companion  stopped  and  looked  at  the  trail  of 
some  big-footed  creature. 

"  Cat,"  answered  Frangois  ;  "  dat  's  Mister 
Lynk.  He  like  for  smell  some  t'ing,  so  I  give 
him  Castoreum  me  for  rub  on  hes  nose  —  per- 
haps some  necktie  too." 

He  cut  a  stick  four  feet  long  and  four  inches 
thick,  and  to  the  middle  of  it  fastened  a  running 
noose  made  from  cod-line.  Then  building  a 
stockade  similar  to  the  last,  and  placing  a  fish- 
head  smeared  with  Castoreum  inside,  he  bent 
down  a  small  Poplar  and  from  it  suspended  the 
noose  covering  the  entrance  to  the  stockade. 

"  Now,  Mister  Lynk  he  go  for  smell  dat," 
explained  Fran9ois.  "  He  put  hes  fat  head 
t' rough  dat  noose ;  perhaps  he  don't  get  him  out 
no  more.     By  Goss  !  he   silly ;  when  dat  string 


!!.4» 


"til 
m 


102 


MOOSWA 


»  •   t, 


get  tight  he  fight  wid  de  stick,  an'  jump,  and 
phiy  de  fool.  Dc  stick  don't  say  not'ing,  hut 
jump  too,  of  course,  cause  it  loose,  you  see.  If 
de  stick  he  fas'  den  de  Lynk  hreak  dc  string;  Imr 
dis  way  dey  fight,  an'  by  an'  by  dat  Lynk  he 
dead  for  soor,   I   t'ink   me." 

"  He  has  queer  taste,"  said  The  Boy,  *'  to 
risk  his  neck  for  that  stuflf —  it 's  worse  than  a 
Skunk." 

They  moved  on,  and  behind,  quite  out  of 
sight,  but  examining  each  contrivance  of  the 
Trapper,  came  Black  Fox,  Muskwa,  Blue  Wolf, 
Mooswa,  and  Carcajou.  Whisky-Jack  was  with 
them  ;  now  flying  ahead  to  discover  where  the 
enemy  were,  now  fluttering  back  with  a  dismal 
"  Pee  weep  !  Pee  weep  !  "  to  report  and  rail  at 
things  generally. 

Carcajou  at  times  travelled  on  three  legs. 
"  Got  a  thorn  in  your  foot  ?  "  queried  the  Jay, 
solicitously. 

"Toes  are  cold,"  answered  Wolverine,  shortly. 

"  He-a-weep  !  "  laughed  Whisky-Jack,  sneer- 
ingly  ;  "  they  were  hot  enough  last  night,  when 
you  called  on  Francois  through  the  chimney- 
Whose  toes  are  sore  to-day,  Mister  Carcajou  r 
And  the  fur  is  burnt  off  your  back  —  excuse  me 
while  I  laugh  ;  "  and  the  Bird  gave  vent  to  a 
harsh,  cackling  chuckle. 


and 

but 

If 

;  bur 

k  he 


SKTTING    our    OF   TIIK   TRAPS    103 

*'  Hello  !"  Carcajou  exclaimed,  suddenly.  "  I 
smell  Castoreum  ;  or  is  it  Sikak  the  Skunk  ?  " 

When  they  came  to  the  l.ynx  Snare,  almost 
immediately,  he  circled  around  gingerly  in  the 
snow,  examining  every  bush,  and  stick,  and  sem- 
blance of  track  ;  then  he  peered  into  the  little 
stockade.  "It's  all  right!"  he  declared;  "that 
Franv^ois  is  a  double  dealing  Breed.  I  have 
known  hiin  set  a  Snare  like  this  for  Pisew,  and 
a  little  to  one  side  put  a  Number  Four  Steel 
Trap,  nicely  covered  up,  to  catch  an  unsuspicious, 
simple-minded  Wolverine." 

"  Why  don't  you  also  say  honesty  modest.  Wol- 
verine ?  "  derided  Whisky-Jack. 

"  But  that 's  a  Snare  for  Pisevv,  right  enough," 
continued  Carcajou. 

"  It  is  !  "  added  Black  Fox. 

"  Watch  me  spring  it !  "  commanded  Carcajou, 
tearing  with  his  strong  jaws  and  stronger  feet  at 
the  fastening  which  held  down  the  bent  poplar. 
Swish  !  And  the  freed  sapling  shot  into  the  air, 
dangling  the  cord  like  a  hangman's  noose  invit- 
ingly before  their  eyes.  "  Now  if  any  one  wants 
the  Fish-head,  he  may  have  it,"  he  added. 

"  Not  with  Castoreum  Sauce,"  said  Black  Fox. 
Even  Blue  Wolf  turned  his  nose  up  at  it. 

"  Well,  I  '11  eat  it  myself,"  bravely  remarked 
Wolverine,  "  for  I  'm  hungry." 


i,.#<j|*''' 
U,^^ 


331 


■■  * 


I04 


MOOSWA 


"  You  always  are,  *  Guio  the  Glutton,'  as  Men 
call  you,"  twittered  Jay. 

"  I  don't  care  for  hot  pork,  though,"  retorted 
the  other,  making  a  grimace  at  the   Bird. 

"  I  believe  they  are  heading  for  your  house, 
Black  Fox,"  remarked  Rof,  as  they  trudged  on 
again. 

"  Francois  is  setting  a  Trap  iu  the  King's  Palace 
—  in  the  Court  Yard,"  cried  Whisky-Jack,  flutter- 
ing back  to  meet  them.  Sure  enough,  as  the 
friends  crouched  in  a  little  coulee  they  could  see 
the  Half-breed  covering  up  a  "  No.  3  "  directly 
in  front  of  Fox's  hole.  Near  the  Trap  Fran9ois 
deposited  two  pieces  of  meat. 

"  If  the  Old  Lady  comes  out  she'llget  her  toes 
pinched,"  remarked  Carcajou. 

Black  Fox  laughed.  "  When  Fran9ois  catches 
Mother,  we  all  shall  be  very  dead." 

When  the  Trapper  had  gone,  the  Comrades 
drew  close,  and  gingerly  reconnoitred.  "  Only 
one  Trap  !  "  cried  Carcajou  ;  "  this  is  too  easy." 
Cautiously  fishing  about  in  the  snow  he  found  a 
chain ;  pulling  the  Trap  out,  he  gave  it  a  yank  — 
something  touched  the  centre-plate,  and  it  went  off 
with  a  vicious  snap  that  made  their  hearts  jump. 

"  Is  the  Bait  all  right,  Whisky-Jack,"  asked 
Black  King.  "  Was  there  any  talk  of  White 
Powdei  ?  " 


SETTING   OUT   OF   THE   TRAPS    105 

"  There  's  nothing  in  it,"  replied  the  Bird  ;  "  I 
saw  them  cut  the  Meat." 

"  Well,  Jack  and  1  will  eat  one  piece;  there's 
a  piece  for  you,  Rof.  In  this  year  of  scarce  food 
even  the  Death  Bait  is  acceptable  —  though  it's 
but  a  tooth-full.     Are  you  hungry,  Muskwa  ?  " 

"No;  I  am  sleepy.  I  think  I  '11  go  to  bed 
to-morrow  for  all  Winter.  You  fellows  have 
kept  me  up  too  late  now." 

"  Give  me  a  paw  to  break  the  ice  in  the  stream, 
Muskwa  —  I'm  going  to  cache  this  Trap,"  said 
Carcajou. 

"  All  right,"  yawned  Bear  ;  "  I  can  hardly  keep 
my  eyes  open.  "  I  'm  afraid  my  liver  is  out  of 
order." 

"  Should  n't  eat  so  much,"  piped  Whisky- 
Jack. 

Muskwa  slouched  down  to  the  river;  Wolverine 
grabbed  up  the  Trap  in  his  strong  jaws  and  fol- 
lowed. Bruin  scraped  the  snow  to  one  side 
deftly,  uncovering  a  patch  of  the  young  ice,  and 
two  or  three  powerful  blows  from  his  mighty  paw 
soon  shivered  a  hole  in  it.  Carcajou  dropped  the 
Trap  through,  saying,  "  It  will  close  over  to-night, 
and  to-morrow  perhaps  the  wind  will  cover  it 
with  snow." 

The  King  looked  on  admiringly. 

"Bra-vo!    br-a-a-vo ! "     growled     Blue    Wolf 


'■'   i»ii 


Ill 


«  !l  ,ll,„ 


i  f  * 


t    '    DM 


106 


MOOSWA 


"  I  might  have  put  my  foot  in  that  when  I  came 
to  visit  the  Widow." 

And  so  all  day  the  conspirators  followed  Fran- 
9ois  and  The  Boy,  undoing  their  work. 

To  Muskwa's  horror,  near  the  nest  he  had 
prepared  for  his  long  Winter's  rest  they  found  a 
huge  Bear  Trap.  At  sight  of  its  yawning  jaws 
drops  of  perspiration  dripped  from  Bruin's  tongue. 
"  Sweet  Sleep  !  what  should  I  do  if  I  were  to  put 
a  leg  in  that  awful  thing  —  it  would  crack  the 
bone,  I  believe.  Who  in  the  name  of  Forest 
Fools  told  Francois  where  my  house  was  ?  " 

"  Whisky-Jack,  likely,"  snapped  Carcajou,  ma- 
lignantly. 

"Not  I,"  declared  Jay  —  "I  swear  it !  I  keep 
the  Law.  What  evil  I  've  got  to  say  of  any  one, 
I  sav  to  his  face  :  I  'm  no  traitor.  You  *re  a 
thief,  Carcajou  —  your  ears  were  cut  off  for  steal- 
ing !  Your  head  's  as  smooth  as  a  Bird's  egg,  and 
you  're  a  quarrelsome  Blackguard  —  but  did  I 
ever  accuse  you  of  betraying  our  Comrades  ?  " 

"  Never  mind.  Sweet  Singer,"  answered  Wol- 
verine, apologetically,  "  1  did  n't  mean  it.  No- 
body told  Fran9ois  ;  it  was  your  own   big  feet, 

were  n't    half  £  ' 


you 


:ep    you 


know  that  you  left    a  trail    like  the  passing  of 
Train   Dogs." 

"  How  shall  we  spring  the  Trap  ?  "  asked  Bear. 


SETTING   OUT   OF   THE   TRAPS    107 


"  Don't  touch  it,"  commanded  Carcajou.  "  Just 
leave  It,  and  Francois  will  spend  many  days  wait- 
ing for  your  thick  fur." 

"  But  if  1  '  hole-up  '  here  the  Man  will  break 
into  my  house  and  kill  me  while  I  sleep." 

"  How  can  he  find  you  ?  "  asked  Jack,  incredu- 
lously. "  It's  going  to  snow  again,  you  '11  be  all 
covered  up  deep  and  he  '11  never  know  where 
you  are." 

"  Won't  he,  Little  Brother  ?  Man  is  not 
so  stupid.  How  do  you  suppose  I  breathe  ? 
There  '11  be  a  little  hole  right  up  through  the 
snow,  all  yellow  about  the  edges,  and  Fran9ois 
will  find  that ;  also,  if  there  's  frost  in  the  air,  see 
my  breath.  No  ;  I  've  got  to  make  another  nest 
now.  I  should  have  turned  in  before  the  snow 
fell,  then  I  'd  have  been  all  right." 

"  We  '11  help  you  fix  a  new  house,"  said  Black 
King;  "but  you  had  better  wait  —  perhaps  this 
snow  will  go  away  ;  then  there  will  hr  no  tracks 
to  lead  Trappers  to  your  nest.  It  is  really  too 
bad  to  keep  you  up  when  you  are  so  sleepy,  but 
it 's  the  only  way." 

"  And  to  think  how  I  worked  over  it,"  la- 
mented Muskwa.  "  For  a  week  I  carried  sticks 
until  my  arms  ached ;  and  scraped  up  leaves,  and 
spruce  boughs,  and  soft  moss,  until  my  hands 
were  sore.     It  would  have  been  the  finest  *  hole- 


■liCI 


io8 


MOOSWA 


if 


I 


f.   ..     tH  I 


Up'  of  any  Bear  within  the  Boundaries.  Umisk 
boasts  about  his  old  Mud  Lodge,  with  the  lower 
floor  all  flooded  with  water — it 's  enough  to  give 
one  rheumatism.  New  Ant  Hills!  I  should  n't 
like  to  live  in  a  cold,  cheerless  place  like  that.  If 
I  had  just  pulled  all  that  nice  warm  covering 
over  me  before  the  snow  fell,  I  should  have  been 
as  comfortable  as  little  Gopher  in  his  hole.  It's 
too  bad ! " 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  we  will  u.;,  Muskwa,"  said 
Black  King;  "we'll  ask  the  Old  Lady  about 
this  thing.  You  would  n't  mind  a  nice  dry  hole 
in  a  cut-bank  somewhere,  would  you  —  if  the 
snow  lasts  and  you  can't  make  another  nest  ?  She 
knows  all  the  empty  houses  from  Athabasca  to 
Peel  River.  I  am  in  the  same  fix  myself,  for  the 
family  are  moving  to-day  —  though  we  have  lived 
in  our  present  quarters  for  a  matter  of  four  years." 

"  That 's  a  King  for  you  !  "  cried  Whisky-Jack. 
"  He  *s  like  a  Father  to  us,"  concurred  Blue  Wolf 

"  Now  we  '11  go  back,"  ordered  Black  Fox ; 
"  the  Man  has  set  all  his  Traps.  See  !  here  's 
the  mark  of  an  empty  bag  on  the  snow.  If  you 
discover  anything  new,  come  to  the  big  dead 
Cottonwood  —  the  one  that  was  struck  by  storm- 
fire  —  at  Two  Rapids,  and  give  the  Boundary 
Call.  I  don't  want  you  making  a  trail  up  to  our 
new  house  for  Fran9ois  to  follow.'* 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


FOR  the  next  few  days  Francois  was  busy 
completing  his  Marten  Road,  quite  un- 
conscious of  the  undoing  that  followed  him. 
Fifteen  miles  out  he  constructed  a  small  rest- 
house  that  would  do  for  a  night's  camping  ;  thus 
he  could  go  the  round  of  his  Traps  nicely  in  two 
days.  The  People  of  the  Boundaries  watched 
him,  and  where  they  found  a  Trap,  sprang  it  and 
stole  the  Bait.  He  fixed  up  the  chimney  that 
had  suffered  from  Carcajou's  diabolical  curiosity. 
Winter  had  properly  set  in  ;  streams  were  frozen 
up,  the  ground  covered  with  snow,  and  the  days 
were  of  scarce  more  length  than  a  long  drawn  out 
forenoon.  Affairs  were  in  this  state  when  one 
morning  the  Red  Widow  heard  Beaver's  plain- 
tive whistle  from  the  Cottonwood. 

"  Son,"  she  cried  to  Black  Fox,  "  Umisk  calls ; 
something  has  gone  wrong  in  the  Forest."  The 
King  turned  over,  stretched  his  sinewy  legs,  and 
yawned ;  the  sharp-pointed,  blood-red  tongue 
curled  against   the   roof  of  his  mouth,  and  the 


■    m 


I  lO 


MOOSWA 


*    ■    6)1  i 


Strong  teeth  gleamed  white  against  the  background 
of  his  lacquer  coat.  It  was  a  full-drawn,  lazy 
protest  against  being  roused  from  slumber,  for  a 
brace  of  Pin-tail  Grouse  lying  in  the  corner  of  his 
cave  gave  evidence  of  much  energy  during  the 
previous  night. 

"Bother  this  being  King!"  he  yapped  crab- 
bedly.  "To  take  care  of  one's  own  relatives  is 
trouble  enough.  By  the  Howl  of  a  Hungry 
Wolf!  I  saved  Stripes  from  a  Trap  yesterday  — 
just  in  the  nick  of  time  to  keep  him  from  grab- 
bing the  Bait.  Now  Trowel  Tail  is  after  me. 
This  place  was  bad  enough  when  there  were  only 
Animals  here — I  mean  Animals  of  our  own  know- 
ing. Mother  ;  now  that  this  other  kind  of  Animal, 
Man,  has  come,  it 's  simply  awful.  They  must 
be  a  bad  lot,  these  Men.  We  fear  Wolf  when 
he  is  hungry,  and  Muskwa  when  there  are  no 
Berries,  but  Man  is  always  crying,  *  E-go,  Kil-1 
—  Kil-1!"' 

Again  Umisk's  shrill  little  treble  cut  the  keen 
frosty  air.  "Hurry,  Lad!"  cried  the  Widow; 
"likely  his  family  is  in  trouble." 

Black  Fox  stuck  his  head  cautiously  from 
the  entrance  to  their  Burrow,  and  peered  through 
the  massive  drapery  of  Birch-tree  roots  which 
completely  veiled  that  part  of  the  cut-bank. 
"  Mother,"   he  said,  "  make  the  Boys   use    the 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


I II 


log-path  when  they  're  coming  home,  or  Fran9ois 
will  hole  us  up  one  of  these  fine  days." 

"  I  have  told  taem,  Son ;  your  two  Brothers 
were  cross-hatching  the  trail  all  yesterday  after- 
noon. There  are  three  blind  holes  within  five 
miles  up  the  stream,  and  to  each  one  they  have 
made  a  nice  little  false  trail  to  amuse  this  Stealer 
of  Skins." 

"That's  all  right.  Mother;  we  can't  be  too 
careful." 

He  stretched  each  hind-leg  far  out,  throwing 
his  head  high  to  loosen  the  neck-muscles  and 
expand  his  chest,  shook  the  folds  of  his  heavy, 
black  cloak  and  yawned  again.  Then  stooping 
low  in  trie  cave-mouth,  with  a  powerful  spring 
he  alighted  upon  a  log  which  crossed  from  one 
cut-bank  to  another  of  the  stream.  Umisk  was 
whistling  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  down  the  left 
bank,  but  Black  Fox  started  off  up  the  right. 
As  he  trotted  along  he  sang  :  — 

"  The  trail  that  leads  from  nowhere  to  nowhere. 
Is  the  track  of  the  King  of  the  Tribe  of  Beware. " 

Suddenly  he  stopped,  crept  under  a  big  log, 
and  then  emerged,  tail  first,  backing  up  cau- 
tiously and  putting  his  feet  down  carefully  in 
the  tracks  he  had  made.  "  They  *11  find  me 
asleep  in  there,"  he  chuckled ;  and  hummed, 
softly  :  — 


iji'lilii;:' 


112 


MOOSWA 


•*  Under  the  log  the  King  is  asleep ; 
Creep  gently.  Brother,  creep  ; 
Under  the  log  is  the  old  Fox  nest ; 
Creep,  Brother —  mind  his  rest." 

Suddenly  jumping  sideways  over  a  great  Spruce 
lying  prone  on  the  ground,  he  started  off  again, 
singing  merrily  :  — 

"  The  track  that  breaks 
Is  a  new  track  made  ; 
For  eyes  are  sharp 
Where  the  nose  is  dead." 

Down  the  stream,  below  where  Umisk  was 
waiting,  Black  King  crossed,  saying  to  himself: 
"  Now,  Francois,  when  I  go  home  the  trail  will 
be  complete,  with  no  little  break  at  my  front 
door  —  dear    Francois,  sweet  Fran9ois." 

With  Umisk  was  Carcajou  waiting  for  the 
King. 

"  What 's  up  ?  "  asked  Black  Fox. 

"The  Man  has  found  us  out,"  squeaked 
Umisk,  despairingly. 

"  Too  bad,  too  bad ! "  cried  the  King,  with 
deep  sympathy  in  his  voice.  "  Anything  hap- 
pened —  any  one  caught  ?  " 

"  Nothing  serious  at  present.  One  of  the 
Babes   lost  a  toe  —  mighty  close   shave." 

"  How  did  the  Breed  work  it  ?  The  old  game 
of  breaking  in  your  house  —  the  Burglar  ^  " 


(( 


(C 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


iij 


"No;  that's  too  stupid  for  Fran9ois.  Mus- 
kegs !  but  he  ts  clever.  The  thing  must  have 
been  done  last  night.  He  cut  a  hole  in  the  ice 
of  my  pond  near  the  dam,  then  shoved  a  nice, 
beautiful  piece  of  Poplar,  with  a  steel  Trap  at- 
tached, down  into  the  water  —  one  end  in  the 
mud,  you  know,  and  the  other  up  in  the  ice. 
Of  course  it  froze  solid  there.  First-Kit,  that 's 
my  eldest  Son,  saw  it  in  the  morning,  and,  think- 
ing one  of  our  bread-sticks  had  got  away,  went 
down  to  bring  it  back.  Mind  you,  I  didn't 
know  anythiiig  about  this ;  he  is  an  ambitious 
little  Chap  and  wanted  to  do  it  all  himself.  Of 
course  the  Poplar  was  fast  —  he  couldn't  budge 
it;  so  Climbed  up  to  cut  it  off  at  the  ice,  with  the 
result  that  he  sprang  the  Trap  and  incidentally 
lost  a  toe." 

"  It's  great  schooling  for  the  Children,  though, 
is  n't  it  ?  "  remarked  Black  King,  trying  to  put  a 
good  face  on  affairs. 

"  It 's  mighty  hard  on  their  toes,"  whined 
Beaver.  "  Hope  it  wasn't  his  nippers  —  forgot 
to  look  into  that." 

"  Nothing  like  bringing  them  up  to  take  care 
of  themselves,"  declared  Carcajou.  "All  the 
same,  my  Wood-chopper  Friend,  you  just  cut 
off  that  stick  and  float  it,  with  the  Trap,  to  one 
of  your  air-holes  ;   I  '11  cache  it  for  Francois." 


114 


MOOSWA 


'f 


"  I  was  thinking  of  keeping  it,"  added  Umisk, 
"  to  tvjach  the  Youngsters  what  a  Trap  is  Hke." 

"  Well,  just  as  you  wish  ;  only  1  '11  go  and 
make  a  little  trail  from  the  spot  off  into  the 
woods,  so  our  busy  Friend  will  think  I  've  taken 
it.  Hello,  Nekik  !  "  he  continued,  as  Otter 
came  sliding  through  the  snow  on  his  belly ; 
"has  Francois  been  visiting  you  too?" 

"  I  don't  know ;  there  is  something  the  matter 
with  my  Slide.      It  isn't  as  1  left  it  yesterday." 

"  Birds  of  a  Feather  !  Birds  of  a  Feather !  " 
screamed  Whisky-Jack,  fluttering  to  a  limb  over 
their  heads.  "What's  the  caucus  about  this 
morning  —  discussing  chances  of  a  breakfast  this 
year  of  starvation  and  scarcity  of  Wapoos  ?  Mild 
Winter !  but  I  had  a  big  feed.  The  Boy  no 
more  knows  the  value  of  food  than  he  knows 
the  depravity  of  Carcajou's  mind." 

"Great  hand  for  throwing  away  hot  pork, 
isn't  he,  Jack  ?  "  asked  Wolverine,  innocently. 

The  Jay  blinked  his  round  bead-eyes,  snapped 
his  beak,  and  retorted  :  "  They  put  in  their  even- 
ings laughing  over  "he  roasting  you  got  when 
you   dropped   into   the   fire." 

"  Where 's  Fran9ois,  Babbler  ?  "  asked  the 
King. 

"  Gone  out  to  bring  in  Deer  Meat." 

"  Did  he  make  a  Kil 


Fc 


3 " 


THE    OTTKR    Sl.lDK 


<»5 


the 


"  U-h-huh  !   my  crop  is  full." 

"  You  horrid  Beast ! "  cried  Carcajou,  dis- 
gustedly.    "Where  is  it  cached?" 

"  Not  Mooswa?"  broke  in  Black  King,  with 
a  frightened  voice. 

"  No  —  Caribou.  Such  a  big  shovel  to  his 
horn  too  —  must  have  been  of  the  Knowledge 
Age.  Ugh !  should  have  known  better  than  to 
let  a  Man  get  near  him.  Of  course  Fran9ois 
stuck  the  hcvid  on  a  tree  to  make  peace  with 
Manitou,  and   I  'm  fixed  for  a  month." 

"  Cannibal  ! "  again  exclaimed  Carcajou. 
"  Where  did  you  say  your  friend,  Murderer, 
had  cached  the  quarters?" 

"  *  Cannibal,*  eh  ?  Go  and  find  out,  Glutton. 
Be  careful,  though  —  I  saw  some  one  handling 
the  White  Medicine  last  night." 

"The  White  Medicine!"  ejaculated  Black 
Fox,  turning  with  dismay  to  the   speaker. 

"  Uh,  huh  !  but  I  never  steal  the  Bait,  like 
Carcajou,  so  I  don't  care.  I  eat  what  the  Men 
eat." 

"What  they  leave,  you  mean,  Scavenger  — 
what  they  throw  to  the  Dogs ! "  retorted  the 
Lieutenant. 

"You'll  get  enough  of  Dogs,  First-CousIn-to 
Ground   Hog — Fran9ois    says   he    is    going    to 
have  a  train  of  them.     They  will  squeeze  your 


•IN 


ii6 


MOOSWA 


'if  If 


(E 


fat  back  if  you  conic  prowling  about  the  Shack 
to  steal  food." 

"  Dogs,"  growled  Bkie  Wolf,  coming  into  the 
circle,  —  "  who  's  got  Dogs  ?  " 

"  You  'II  have  them  —  on  your  hack,  pres- 
ently," snapped  the  Jay.  *'  Saw  you  sniffing 
around  there  last  night.  If  your  jaws  were  as 
long  as  your  scent  you  would  have  had  that  leg 
off  the  roof,  eh,  Rof?  Burnt  Feathers!  but  I 
smell  something,"  he  continued;  "has  any  one 
found  a  Castoreum  Bait,  and  got  it  in  his 
pocket  ?  I  don't  mean  you,  Beaver,  you  don't 
smell  very  bad.  Oh!  here  you  are,  Sikak  ;  it's 
you  —  I  might  have  known  what  sweet  Forest 
Flower  had  cut  loose  from  its  stalk.  Have  you 
been  rolling  in  the  dead  Rose  leaves  this  morn- 
ing, my  lover  of  Perfume  ?  " 

The  white-striped  Skunk  pattered  with  quick, 
mincing  little  steps  into  the  group,  his  back 
humped  up  and  his  terrible  tail  carried  high, 
ready  to  resent  any  insult. 

"Smothered  anybody  this  morning,  Sikak?" 
asked  the  Bird. 

A  laugh  went  round  the  circle  at  this  sally  of 
Jack's  ;  for  Skunk's  method  of  fighting  did  not 
meet  with  unl^'-ersal  approval.  Blue  Wolf  thought 
Sikak  was  a  good  piece  of  meat  clean  thrown  away. 
When  hungry  he  could  manage  Badger,  or  even 


THK   oni:K   SLIDi: 


»'7 


Porcupine ;  but  Skunk  !  "  Mr-r-r,  ugh  !  "  it 
turned  his  stonuich  to  tliink  of  the  dose  he  hud 
received  once  when  he  tried  it. 

"  Good-morning,  Your  Majesty  !  "  said  1  .ynx, 
us  he  arrived  shortly  after  Skunk. 

"  How  is  everybody  up  your  way  ?  "  cjueried 
Jack.     "  How  are  all  the  young  Wapooses  ?  " 

Lynx  grinned  deprecatingly. 

"  Pisew  is  not  likely  to  forget  the  Law  of  the 
Seventh  Year,"  remarked  Carcajou,  with  a  sinister 
expression,  "  so  he  is  not  so  deeply  interested  in 
young  Wapoos  as  he  used  to  be." 

"  What  is  the  meeting  for?  "  asked  Lynx. 

"  Fran9ois  has  been  visiting  the  pond  of  our 
litde  Comrade,  Umisk,"  replied  Black  King. 

'*  And  has  been  at  my  Slide,  too,"  declared 
Otter. 

"  Well,  Comrades,  we  had  better  go  with 
Nekik  and  examine  into  this  thing,"  commanded 
the  King. 

"Oh,  of  course!"  cried  Jack;  "every  com- 
munity must  have  Fishery  Laws,  and  have  its 
Fisheries  protected." 

The  Otter  sHde  was  exactly  like  a  boy's  coast- 
ing chute  on  a  hill.  A  smooth,  iced  trough  ran 
down  the  snow-covered  bank,  a  matter  of  fifteen 
feet,  to  the  stream's  edge,  ending  in  an  ice  hole 
that  Otter   managed  to   keep   open  all   Winter. 


.!(!.||lii^ 


■t: 


«. 


:IH 


ii8 


MOOSWA 


f'-^i 


G^  ^rally  speaking,  It  was  Nekik's  entrance  to 
his  /er-home,  and  in  the  event  of  danger  de- 
manding a  quick  disappearance,  he  could  shoot 
down  it  into  the  water  like  a  bullet.  It  was  also 
a  play-ground  for  Otter's  family ;  their  favourite 
pastime  being  to  glide  helter-skelter  down  the 
chute  and  splash  into  the  stream. 

"What's  wrong  with  it  ? "  asked  Black  Fox. 
"  There 's  a  nasty  odour  of  Man  about,  I  ad- 
mit, but  your  Slide  seems  all  clear  and  smooth." 

"  Something 's  been  changed.  I  had  a  little  drop 
put  in  the  centre  for  the  Youngsters,  and  they 
liked  it  —  thought  it  was  like  falling  off  a  bank, 
you  know  ;  now  that  part  is  filled  up  nearly  level, 
you  see.  I  don't  know  what  is  in  it — was  afraid 
to  look ;  but  expect  Francois  has  set  a  Trap 
there." 

"  I  '11  find  out,"  said  Carcajou.  "  These  Traps 
all  work  from  the  top  —  I  *ve  discovered  that 
much.  If  you  keep  walking  about,  you  're  pretty 
sure  to  get  into  one  of  them  ;  but  if  you  sit  down 
and  think,  and  scrape  sideways  a  bit,  you  '11  get 
hold  of  something  that  won't  go  off."  Talking 
thus,  he  dug  with  his  strong  claws  at  the  edge  of 
the  Slide.     "  I  thouiiht  so  !  "  he  exclaimed  sud- 


de 


nl 


(C 


Here  's  a  rine  around  a  stake  —  I  know 


what  that  m 


ig 


I 


Feell 


"g 


eans 
cautiously  for  the  chain,  he  presently 


'  I 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


119 


pulled  out  a  No.  3  steel  Trap.  With  notched 
jaws  wide  open,  and  tip-plate  holding  its  flat  sur- 
face up  inviting  the  loosening  pressure,  it  was  a 
vicious-looking  affair. 

"  Let  me  spring  it,"  said  Wolf;  "  I  'm  used  to 
them."  Grabbing  the  chain  end  in  his  teeth,  he 
threw  the  Trap  over  his  head  as  a  dog  does  a  bone 
in  play,  and  when  it  came  down  the  sides  clanged 
together  with  hurried  fondness. 

"Hurrah!  hurrah !"  whistled  Otter.  "Some- 
thing told  me  not  to  go  down  that  Slide.  I  felt 
it  in  my  bones." 

"  You  'd  have  felt  it  on  your  bones,"  piped  Jay, 
ironically,  "  if  you  had  slid  your  fat  belly  over 
that  Trap." 

"  Oh,  I  'm  just  dying  for  a  slide  and  a  bath," 
continued  Nekik  —  "  here  goes  !  " 

"  Wait  a  bit !  "  commanded  Carcajou,  grabbing 
him  by  the  shoulder,  "  don't  be  too  eager.  That 
is  n't  Fran9ois's  Lucky  Trap.  If  he  has  discov- 
ered your  front  stream,  you  can  just  depend  upon 
it  his  Lucky  Trap  is  laid  away  somewhere  for 
you  — -  it 's   got  two   red    bands   painted  on  the 

springs." 

As  these  words  of  wisdom  fell  from  Carca- 
jou's lips  his  Comrades  gathered  their  feet  more 
closely  under  them,  and  searched  the  surrounding 
territory  apprehensively  with  their  eyes. 


iijjiiijii/ 


•in 

-  IK 


I20 


MOOSWA 


*  "■  t», 


"  Where  will  it  be  ?  "  cried  Nekik,  distressedly. 

"In  the  water  !  "  answered  Carcajou,  with  brief 
decision. 

"  Dreadful !  "  whimpered  Otter. 

"  Fran9ois  is  a  heartless  wretch  !  "  declared 
Beaver.  "  He  tried  to  play  that  trick  on  me 
once." 

"  Where  was  that,  Paddle-tail  ?  "  queried  Jack, 
who  was  always  eager  for  a  bit  of  gossip. 

"  It  was  when  I  lived  up  on  Pembina  River. 
You  know  the  way  with  us  Beavers  —  we  always 
take  a  month  or  two  of  holiday  every  Summer, 
and  visit  our  Friends.  It  was  in  June  —  I  re- 
member ;  1  opened  the  Lodge  to  let  it  air,  and 
started  down  stream  with  my  whole  family.  Of 
course  we  passed  many  Beaver-roads  running  to 
the  river,  and  when  we  thought  they  belonged  to 
friends  we  'd  pull  out  and  go  up  on  the  bank. 
Carcajou,  you  know  the  little  round  bowl  of 
mud  we  Beaver  leave  on  our  river-roads  for 
visitors*  cards  ? " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Wolverine  ;  "  they  're  a  rather 
good  idea.  You  always  know  just  who  has 
passed,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  we  can  tell,  generally.  Well,  as  I  was 
saying,  we  went  up  the  bank  in  one  of  these  Roads, 
and  by  the  odour  of  the  little  clay  mound  I  knew 
that  Red  Jowl,  a  cousin  of  mine,  was  just  inside 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


121 


the  Wood  —  or  had  been.  So  the  family  went 
among  the  Poplars  to  have  a  bite  of  bread ;  and 
just  as  we  were  felling  a  tree  whom  should  I 
see  but  Fran9ois  drifting  down  the  river  in  his 
canoe ;  we  kept  pretty  close,  you  had  better 
believe." 

"  Didn't  call  out  to  him,  Umisk,  eh?  "  asked 
Jay  —  "didn't  clap  each  other  on  the  back  with 
your  tails  and  say,  *  Here  comes  a  Chum.'  " 

Umisk  proceeded,  paying  no  attention  to  the 
flippant  Bird.  "  When  the  Breed  came  opposite 
our  Road  he  stopped  his  canoe,  let  it  drift  gently 
up  to  the  bank,  pulled  out  a  Trap  and  set  it 
in  muddy  water  just  at  the  foot  of  the  path. 
He  was  clever  enough  not  to  touch  the  land 
even  with  his  paddle,  so  there  was  no  scent  — 
nothing  to  warn  a  poor  Beaver  of  the  danger. 
Then  he  floated  on  down.  If  I  had  not  seen 
the  whole  thing  this  depraved  taker  of  our  lives 
would  have  caught  me  sure ;  for  you  know  how 
we  go  into  the  water,  Nekik,  just  as  you  do  — 
head  and  hands  first." 

"  That 's  an  old  trick  of  Fran9ois's,"  exclaimed 
Carcajou;  "and  you'll  find  that  is  just  what  he 
has  done  here.  If  Mister  Nekik  will  feel  cau- 
tiously at  the  foot  of  his  Slide  he  will  find  some- 
thing hard  and  smooth,  not  at  all  like  a  stick  or 
a  stone." 


'111'* 


122 


MOOSWA 


If"-' 


it 


"  Fat  Fish !  br<-  I  'm  afraid  of  my  fingers," 
whistled  Otter. 

"  Sure,  if  you  work  from  the  top,"  retorted 
Carcajou.  "  Sideways  is  the  game  with  the  Trap 
always  —  or  upward." 

"  You  forgot  that,  Mister  Carcajou,  when  you 
tackled  the  Chimney,"  twittered  Jay. 

"  I  did  n't  burn  my  tongue,  anyway." 

"Is  Nekik  afraid  to  safeguard  his  own  Slide," 
sneered  Whisky-Jack. 

"  Shut  up.  Quarrel  Maker  !  "  interposed  the 
King,  "  you  know  Otter  is  one  of  the  pluckiest 
fighters  inside  the  Boundaries.  It's  only  brain- 
less Animals  who  tackle  things  they  know  noth- 
ing about." 

"  Dive  their  beaks  into  hot  Pork,  your  Most 
Wise  Majesty,"  echoed  Lynx,  with  a  fawning 
smile. 

"  Here  's  Sakwasew,  he  '11  r.nd  the  Trap,  he 's 
a  water  dweller,"  exclaimed  Carcajou,  as  Mink, 
attracted  by  their  chatter,  came  wandering  down 
the  stream.  "  Here,  little  Black-tail,"  he  con- 
tinued, "just  dip  down  the  hole  there  and  look 
for  evidence  of  Fran9ois's  deviltry." 

"It's  against  the  Law  of  the  Boundaries," 
pleaded  Mink,  "  for  me  to  use  Otter's  ice  hole. 
By  the  Kink  in  my  Tail,  I  'm  not  like  some  of 
my  Corr  vades,  always  breaking  the  laws." 


THE    OTTER   SLIDE 


123 


^ou 


"Aren't  you,  Mink?  Who  cut  the  throats 
of  Gray  Hen,  the  Grouse's,  Children,  last  July, 
when  they  were  still  in  their  pin-feathers  ?  But 
I  suppose  that  is  n't  breaking  the  Law  of  the 
Boundaries,"  cried  Lynx,  taking  Mink's  observa- 
tion to  himself. 

"  Oh,  no,"  chipped  in  Whisky-Jack;  "certain 
of  you  Animals  think  keeping  the  Law  is  not  get- 
ting caught.  My  own  opinion  is,  you  're  as  bad 
as  Men.  When  Fran9ois  puts  out  the  White 
Death-powder,  he  thinks  he  is  keeping  Man's 
law  if  the  Red  Coats  do  not  catch  him ;  and  Sak- 
wasew  cuts  the  throat  of  Chick-Grouse,  and  you, 
Pisew,  eat  Kit  Beaver,  and  it 's  all  within  the  Law 
if  there  be  no  witnesses.  I  don't  know  what  we 
are  coming  to." 

"  Stop  wrangling,  you  Subjects  !  "  commanded 
Black  King ;  and  the  silvered  fur  on  his  back 
stood  straight  up  in  anger.  "  I  '11  order  Rof  to 
thrash  you  soundly,  if  you  don't  stop  this." 

Pisew  slunk  tremblingly  behind  a  tree,  and 
Carcajou,  humping  his  back,  exclaimed  :  "  Brother 
Nekik,  I  '11  fish  out  that  Trap  for  you  ;  I  'm  sure 
it's  there — my  good  nose  lines  the  track  of  a 
Man  straight  to  the  hole."  In  less  than  two 
minutes  he  triumphantly  swung  a  rteel-jawed 
thing  up  on  the  bank.  "  There,  what  did  I  tell 
you  ! "  he  boasted  proudly.     "  But  the  ring  is  on 


124 


MOOSWA 


*  I K  «j  VI,.  in 


(t 


I!' 
} 


'■'...f.t' 


a  stout  root  or  stick  —  cut  it  off,  Umisk,  witli 
your  strong  chisel-teeth,  and  Fisher  will  carry  it 
up  that  big  hollow  Poplar  and  cache  it  in  a 
hole." 

"  I  will,  if  you  spring  the  jaws  first,"  agreed 
Fisher. 

Otter  was  overjoyed.  "  This  is  fine ! "  he 
cried;  "  I  '11  be  back  in  a  minute  !  "  and  he  darted 
down  the  Slide  as  an  Indian  throws  the  snake- 
stick  over  the  snow. 

"  What  fine  sport !  "  remarked  Carcajou,  when 
Nekik  came  up  again,  shaking  the  water  from  his 
strong,  bristled  mustache. 

"  Shall  we  have  some  games  ?  "  suggested  the 
King.  "  I  'II  give  a  fat  Pheasant  to  the  one  who 
slides  down  Nekik's  chute  best  —  that  is,  of 
course,   barring  Nekik   himself." 

"  But  the  water,  Your  Majesty  ! "  interposed 
Pisew. 

"  I  don't  want  to  wet  my  feet,"  pleaded  Wapi- 
stan,  the  Marten;  "if  you'll  make  the  race  up 
a  tree  I  will  willingly  join." 

"  So  will  I  !  "  concurred  Fisher. 

"  Or  three  miles  straight  over  the  hill,"  sug- 
gested Blue  Wolf. 

"  Make  it  a  wrestling  match  !  "  said  Carcajou. 

"No,  no,"  declared  Black  King.  "No  one 
need  go  in  the  hole,  of  course.     When  you  come 


THE    OTTER   SLIDE 


12 


5 


with 

rry  it 

in    a 


he 
arted 
nake- 


sug- 


to  the  bottom,  spring  over  to  the  ice — that 
will  be  part  of  the  game." 

After  much  wrangling  and  discussion  they 
all  agreed  to  try  it.  Mink  went  first,  being 
more  familiar  with  slides,  for  he  had  a  little 
one  of  his  own.  He  did  it  rather  nicely,  but 
forgetting  to  jump  at  the  bottom,  dove  into 
the  water. 

"  That  rules  you  out ! "  decided  the  King. 
"  You  left  the  course,  you  see.     Go  on,  Rof !  " 

Blue  Wolf  fixed  himself  gingerly  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  Slide,  and,  at  the  last  minute,  decided 
to  take  it  sitting,  riding  down  on  his  great 
haunches.  This  worked  first-rate,  until  the  ice 
was  reached.  Rof  was  going  with  so  much  speed 
by  this  time,  that  he  could  n't  gather  for  a  spring  ; 
his  hind  quarters  slipped  through  the  hole,  which, 
being  just  about  his  size,  caused  him  to  wedge 
tight.  He  gave  a  roar  of  surprise  that  made 
the  woods  ring,  for  the  stream  was  icy  cold. 
"  Keep  your  nose  above  water  or  you  '11  dvown, 
old  Bovz-wow,"  piped  Jay. 

It  took  the  combined  strength  of  Beaver  and 
Carcajou  to  pull  the  grumbling  animal  out.  "  By 
the  White  Spot  on  my  Tail,"  laughed  Black 
Kmg,  "  but  I  thought  for  a  time  you  were  going 
to  win.  Your  turn,  Pisew."  Lynx  made  a 
grimace  of  dislike,  for  his  cat  nature  revolted  at 


;l  ■:  .1  > 


126 


MOOSWA 


9     .i 


t.l" 


ft 


the  thought  of  water,  but  he  crept  on  to  the  slide 
with  nervous  steps. 

"  You  won't  get  in  the  hole,"  jeered  Jack  ; 
"  your  feet  arc  too  big." 

Fisew  tried  it  standing  up,  with  arched  back, 
just  for  all  the  world  like  a  cat  on  a  garden  fence. 
As  he  neared  the  bottom  at  lightning  speed, 
confusion  seized  him;  he  tried  to  spring,  but 
only  succeeded  in  throwing  a  half  somersault, 
and  plunged  head  first  into  the  water.  I'he  Jay 
fairly  screamed  with  delight,  and  hopped  about 
on  his  perch  overhead  in  a  perfect  ecstasy  of 
fiendish  enjoyment.  "  Did  n't  scorch  his  tongue 
a  bit !  "  he  cried.  "  Give  him  the  tail  feathers  of 
the  Pheasant  to  dry  his  face  with,  oh.  Your 
Majesty  !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Pe-he-e-e  !  "  Pisew 
scrambled  out  filled  with   morose   anger. 

"  That 's  another  failure,"  adjudged  the  King. 
"  Who  is  next?  " 

"  Carcajou's  turn  !  "  instigated  Whisky-Jack. 
"  He  knows  all  about  sliding  up  and  down 
chimneys  —  he  '11  win,  sure  !  " 

"  I  will  try  it,"  grunted  the  fat,  little  Chap ; 
"  but  if  you  make  fun  of  me.  Jack,  I  *11  wring 
your  neck  first  chance  I  get." 

Wolverine  shufiled  clumsily  to  the  starting 
post,  studied  the  Slide  critically  for  a  minute 
with  his  little  snake-like  eyes,  then   deliberately 


THE   OTTER    SLIDE 


127 


turned  over  on  his  back,  and  prepared  for  the 
descent. 

"  Tuck  in  your  ears  !  "  shouted  Whisky  Jack. 
Now  this  was  an  insult.  Carcajou's  ears  were  so 
very  short  that  they  were  generally  supposed  to 
have  been  cut  off  for  stealing.  However,  Wol- 
verine started,  tail  first,  holding  his  head  up 
between  his  fore-paws  to  judge  distances.  When 
he  struck  the  bottom,  his  powerful  hind-feet 
jammed  into  the  snow,  and  the  speed  of  his  going 
threw  him  safely  over  on  the  ice,  landing  him 
right  side  up  on  all-fours. 

"  Capital  !  Capital !"  yapped  Black  King,  pat- 
ting his  furred  hands  together  in  approval. 
"  That  will  be  pretty  hard  to  beat.  Skunk, 
you're  a  cijver  little  Fellow,  see  if  you  can  make 
a  tie  of  it  with  Carcajou."  Sikak  moved  up  to 
the  Slide  with  a  peculiar  rocking-horse-like  gallop. 
Taking  his  cue  from  Carcajou  he  decided  to  go 
down  the  same  way.  Now,  in  the  excitement  of 
the  thing  the  animals  had  gathered  close  to  the 
Slide,  lining  it  on  both  sides. 

"  Cranky  little  White-streak  !  "  exclaimed 
Whisky-Jack  ;  "  why  don't  you  make  a  speech 
before  you  start." 

Skunk  had  never  travelled  in  this  shape  be- 
fore, and  was  nervous.  During  his  delay  over 
getting  a  straight  start.  Carcajou  and  Mink,  half- 


llHjiJ 


128 


MOOSWA 


(E 


>i«li:|,j 


at^4i 


-1  a 


'  «*ti 


■it 


way  down,  got  into   an  altercation  about  a  good 
seat  that  each  claimed. 

"  Keep  it,  then,  Cilutton  !"  v/hined  Sakwas-.'w, 
starting  across  the  chute.  As  he  did  so,  Skunk 
got  away  rather  prematurely,  coming  down  with 
the  speed  of  a  snow-slide  off  a  roof.  He  struck 
Mink  i^ull  amidship,  and  thinking  it  was  a  diaboli- 
cal trick  on  the  part  of  the  others,  developed  an 
angry  odour  that  would  have  put  a  Lyddite  shell 
to  shame. 

A  wild  scramble  took  place. 

"  Fat  liens  !"  shrieked  Black  King,  as  he  fled 
through  the  Forest,  his  long  brush  trailing  in  the 
snow. 

"  I  'm  choking  !  "  screamed  Carcajou.  *'  By 
the  power  of  all  F'orest  Smells,  was  there  ever 
such  a  disgraceful  Chap  on  the  face  of  the  Earth  ;  " 
and  he  scurried  away  with  his  short  legs,  just  for 
all  the  world  like  a  Bear  Cub. 

Fisher  climbed  a  tree  in  hot  haste,  as  did 
Marten.  Mink  dove  in  the  Otter's  hole  and 
disappeared ;  but  with  him  he  carried  the  evil 
thing,  for  he  was  full  of  the  blue  halo  that  vi- 
brated from  his  skunk-smirched  coat.  "  I  shall 
never  be  able  to  go  home  any  more,"  he  moaned ; 
"  my  relatives  will  kill  me." 

Even  Jay  clasped  one  claw  over  his  nose  and 
flew  wildly  through  the  forest,  almost  knocking 


THE    OTTER    SLIDE 


129 


1 


out  his  brains  against  branches.  In  ten  seconds 
there  was  nobody  left  on  the  ground  but  Otter 
and  poor  little  white-striped  Skunk.  The  collision 
had  sent  him  rolling  over  and  over  down  to  the 
ice  bottom  of  the  stream.  He  got  up,  shook 
himself,  used  some  very  bad  animal  language, 
and  slunk  away  to  his  family,  to  tell  them  of  the 
trick  Cr.rcajou  and  Mink  had  played  him. 

"  That  Glutton  was  afraid  I  'd  win  the  Pheas- 
ant," he  confided  to  Mrs.  Sikak;  "but  I  broke 
up  the  part",  anyway." 

Otter  was  wandering  about  disconsolately 
through  the  woods,  declaiming  to  the  trees  that 
his  Slide  was  ruined  for  all  time  to  come,  and 
he  really  wished  the  Trap  had  ended  his  days. 


\.j 


If 


THE   TRAPPING  OF   WOLVERINE 


(( 


4 


i 


«l  ii  ■'■' 
8.|..  .i- 


WHEN  PVangois  missed  the  Beaver  trap 
that  had  been  placed  in  the  dam,  and 
that  Umisk  had  taken  for  his  sons  to  study, 
also  the  two  set  on  Otter's  slide,  it  made  him 
furious.  He  knew  Wolverine  must  have  cached 
them.  Once  before  he  had  been  forced  to  give 
up  a  good  Marten  Road  because  of  the  relentless 
ingenuity  of  this  almost  human-brained  animal ; 
but  it  would  be  different  this  time,  the  Half- 
breed  declared  —  he  would  make  a  fight  of  it. 

"  I  keel  me  dat  Carcajou  ! "  he  exclaimed 
emphatically  over  and  over  again  to  The  Boy. 
"  Dat  Debil  ob  de  Wood  he  eat  my  bait,  an' 
cy.c'e  de  Trap,  an*  come  an'  sit  dere  by  de  door 
an'  listen  what  we  talk.  I  see  de  track  dis 
mornin'." 

The  very  night  Fran9oIs  made  this  boast,  Wol- 
verine came  and  entirely  appropriated  the  re- 
maining hind-quarter  of  his  Caribou  from  the 
roof  When  the  Half-breed  discovered  this  fresh 
mark  of  his  enemy's  energetic  attention  he  be- 
came inarticulate  with  ire. 


said 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINR     131 


NE 

;r   trap 
n,  and 
study, 
le  him 
cached 
to  give 
lentless 
mimal ; 
I  Half- 
»f  it. 
claimed 
le  Boy. 
ait,  an' 
le  door 
ick    dis 

t,  Wol- 
the  re- 
lom  the 
tiis  fresh 
he  be- 


"  Why  don't  you  try  the  strychnine  on  him  ?  " 
asked  Roderick. 

"  Dat  no  use,"  declared  the  enraged  Trapper ; 
"  when  I  put  poison  in  de  bait,  Carcajou  come, 
smell  him,  den  he  do  some  dirty  trick  on  it  tor 
make  me  swear.  But  I  catc'  him  soor  —  I  put 
de  gun  wid  pull-string." 

He  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  next  day 
arranging  a  muzzle-loading  shot  gun,  with  a  trade 
hall  in  it,  for  the  destruction  of  the  animal  who 
had  stolen  his  venison.  Franc^ois  had  seen  Wol- 
verine's own  private  little  path  for  coming  up  the 
bank  of  the  Pelican,  and  on  this  he  staked  down 
the  gun  and  put  some  pine  logs  on  either  side,  so 
that  Carcajou  must  take  the  bait  from  in  front. 
The  gun  was  left  cocked,  with  a  string  attached 
to  the  trigger;  on  the  string,  just  at  the  muzzle, 
was  tied  a  piece  of  Caribou  meat. 

Wolverine  chuckled  when  he  saw  the  arrange- 
ment. "  Poor  old  Fran9ois  !  "  he  muttered 
ironically :  "  this  is  really  too  bad  ;  it 's  actual 
robbery  to  take  that  Bait  —  it 's  so  easy." 

Now  this  little  wood-dweller  had  a  most  decided 
streak  of  vanity  in  his  make-up.  Like  many  really 
smart  men,  he  liked  to  show  off  his  cunning  — 
that  was  his  weakness.  "  This  is  a  good  chance 
to  give  some  of  the  others  an  object  lesson,"  he 
said    to    himself,    sitting    down    to    wait    for    an 


ji.' 


132 


MOOSWA 


"it  ;: 


'!  II   i- 


(t 


i''''«^.-> 


audience.  Presently  Blue  Wolf  and  Lynx  came 
in  sight,  jogging  along  together.  "  Eur-r-r-r  !  " 
said  Wolf,  hoarsely  ;  "  had  any  Eating  this  day, 
Gulo  ?  " 

"  No  appetite,"  declared  Carcajou,  getting  up 
so  the  half-starved  Lynx  might  see  his  well- 
rounded  stomach. 

"  Most  wise  Lieutenant,"  smirked  Pisew, 
"what  wisdom  hast  thou  originated  this  day  ?  " 

"That's  a  queer  thing,  isn't  it?"  remarked 
Carcajou,  nodding  his  broad  forehead  towards 
the  baited  gun. 

Blue  Wolf  looked,  took  a  wide  detour,  and 
approached  it  from  the  side.  The  others  followed 
in  his  footsteps. 

"  Years  have  given  you  sagacity.  Mister  Rof," 
commended  Wolverine.  "  From  the  side  always, 
eh  ?  Danger  sits  on  top,  and  Death  waits  in 
front." 

My  nose  finds  a  Bait ! "  answered  Wolf 
It  s  Meat !  "  added  Pisew,  working  his  mus- 
tached  upper  lip  like  a  cat. 

"  I  smell  powder ! "  declared  Carcajou,  quietly- 

"  The  evil  breath  of  the  Ironstick  ?  "  queried 
Blue  Wolf  "  Perhaps  the  White  Death-powder 
makes  that  peculiar  odour,"  he  hazarded. 

"  No,"  asserf^d  Carcajou ;  "  Fran9ois  knows 
better  than  that :  to  smell  that  Bait  costs  nothing ; 


(t 


n 


relii 


came 
Lr-r  !  " 
s  day, 


ing  up 

well- 

Pisew, 
ly? 

narked 
owards 

ir,  and 
allowed 

r  Rof," 
always, 
vaits  in 

3lf. 

is  mus- 

quietly. 
queried 
•powder 

knows 
othing ; 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     133 

to  bite  it  makes  a  heavier  price  than  either  of 
us  cares  to  pay.  Fran9ois  knows  that  we  smell 
first,  and  bite  last ;  and  if  our  noses  detected 
aught  amiss  would  we  pull  the  string  with  our 
teeth  ?  " 

"Wise  Lieutenant!"  murmured  Lynx. 

"  Cunning  old  Thief!  "  mused  Wolf  to  himself. 

"  Do  either  of  you  food-hunters  want  it  ? " 
asked  Carcajou. 

"  I  *m  not  very  hungry  this  morning,"  answered 
Blue  Wolf. 

"  I  discovered  seven  Deer  Mice  under  a  log 
not  two  hours  ago,"  lied  Pisew;  "sweet,  long- 
eared  little  Chaps  they  were,  and  quite  fat  from 
eating  the  seeds  of  the  yellow-lipped  Sunflower 
—  most  delicious  flavour  it  gives  to  their  flesh. 
My  stomach  is  at  peace  for  the  first  time  in  many 
days." 

"  Keep  your  eye  open  for  the  Breed-Man, 
th^n,"  commanded  Wolverine  ;  "  I  think  I  'd 
relish  that  Caribou  steak  —  your  Deer- Mice 
have  given  me  an  appetite."  He  tore  the  pine 
logs  away  from  one  side  of  the  gun,  examined 
the  string  critically,  cut  it  with  his  sharp  teeth 
just  behind  the  bait,  and  devoured  the  fresh  meat 
with  great  gusto,  smacking  his  lips  with  a  tanta- 
lizing suggestiveness  of  good  fare. 

"In  case  of  accidents  I  think  I  'd  better  break 


i'll. 

14 


'34 


MOOSWA 


J'' 


9  4"  lis 


up  this  Ironstick,"  he  said.  Seizing  the  hammer 
in  his  strong  jaws,  and  placing  his  paws  on  the 
barrel  and  stock,  he  tore  it  off  and  completely 
demolished  the  old  muzzle-loader. 

"  Well,"  yawned  Wolf,  stretching  himself, 
"  you  're  a  match  for  the  Man,  I  believe.  I  'm 
off,  for  I  've  got  a  long  run  ahead  of  me  —  the 
Pack  gathers  to-night  at  Deep  Creek." 

"  What's  the  run  —  Stag  ?  "  asked  Pisew, 
insinuatingly. 

"  Whatever  it  may  be  it  will  be  all  eaten," 
answered  Rof ;  "  so  you  need  n't  trail.  Good- 
bye, Lieutenant,"  he  barked,  loping  with  power- 
ful strides  through  the  woods  out  of  sight. 

"  I  '11  go  with  yoUy  most  wise  Lieutenant," 
declared  Pisew. 

"  Well,  trot  along  in  front,"  grunted  Carcajou; 
"  I  want  to  fix  the  trail  a  bit."  After  they  had 
walked  for  half  an  hour  Wolverine  stopped,  and, 
cocking  his  eye  up  a  slim  pole  which  seemed  to 
grow  from  the  centre  of  a  high  Spruce  stump, 
exclaimed,  "  Great- Eating  !  what  in  the  name  of 
Wiesahkechack  is  that  ?  " 

"  Meat !  "  answered  Pisew,  looking  at  some- 
thing which  dangled  from  the  top  of  the 
pole. 

"It's  Fran9ois  again,"  said  Carcajou,  sniffing 
at  the  stump. 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     135 


mmer 
n  the 
•letely 


isevv. 


"  What  a  splendid  cache,"  cried  Lynx,  admir- 
ingly ;  "  nobody  but  Squirrel  could  climb  that 
pole. 

"  But  they  might  knock  it  down,"  declared 
Carcajou.     "  I   have  a  notion  to  try." 

"  Better  leave  it  alone,"  advised  Pisew.  "If 
it 's  Fran9ois,  there  's  something  wrong." 

"  Carcajou  does  n't  take  advice  from  a  cotton- 
headed  Cat,"  sneered  the  other.  "  Easy  Killing  ! 
but  I  'm  going  up  to  see  what  it 's  like.  I  know 
that  stump  —  it 's  hollow  ;  there  is  no  chance  for 
a  Trap  there."  It  was  about  three  feet  high. 
Wolverine  made  a  running  jump,  grabbing  the 
top  edge  to  pull  himself  up  ;  as  he  did  so  some- 
thing snapped.  A  hov  i  of  enraged  surprise  came 
from  the  little  animal  as  he  dangled  with  hind 
Loes  just  touching  the  ground,  and  his  fore-paws 
in  a  steel  Trap  which  he  had  pulled  over  the  side. 
The  cunning  Breed  had  blocked  up  his  Trap  on 
the  inside  of  the  hollow  shell,  where  it  was  invisi- 
ble from  the  ground. 

"  For  the  Sake  of  Security  !  don't  make  such 
a  noise,"  pleaded  Pisew. 

"  Fool-talker  ! "  retorted  Carcajou  ;  "  come  and 
help  me  out  of  this  fix." 

"  I  can't  open  the  Trap,"  objected  Lynx ; 
"  why,  it  would  take  the  strength  of  Muskwa  to 
flatten  its  springs." 


136 


MOOSWA 


«  it  w 


■'»-« 


•ii.l>.!lf 


"  Run  to  the  King  and  ask  for  help,  as  is  the 
law  of  the  Boundaries,"  ordered  Wolverine. 

"  Gently,  Mister  Lieutenant,  gently  ;  don't  get 
so  excited  —  keep  cool." 

*'  Wait  till  I  get  out  of  this,"  screamed  Carca- 
jou ;  ''I  '11  warm  your  jacket." 

"There,  there,"  returned  Lynx,  "  don't  threaten 
me  —  don't  abuse  me,  and  I  '11  help  you  —  " 

"  That 's  a  good  Pisew  —  hurry,  please —  Fran- 
9ois  may  come  —  " 

"  On  one  condition,"  added  Lynx,  sitting  down 
on  his  haunches  with  deliberate  self-possession. 

"  Hang  the  conditions  !  "  blustered  Carcajou 
—  "talk  of  conditions  with  a  Fellow's  fingers  in  a 
steel  Trap  ! " 

"  All  the  same,  I  '11  only  do  it  on  one  condi- 
tion —  when  they  talked  the  other  day  of  making 
me  King  — " 

"  *  They  talked,'  "  interrupted  Carcajou  ;  "  no- 
body talked  of  making  you  King." 

"  llow  didn't,  I  know.  Lieutenant;  but  that's 
just  what  I  want  you  to  promise  now,  before  I 
help  you." 

"  I  '11  see  you  ared  first !  "  grunted  Wolve- 
rine, snapping  at  t!  ;  Trap  chain  which  was  fastened 
to  the  pole,  until  he  screamed  with  pain. 

"All  right —  I  'm  off!  Francois  will  soon  find 
you,"  declared  Pisew. 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     137 


no- 


"  Come  back  ! "  cried  the  entrapped  Animal. 
"  What  do  you  wish  ?  " 

"  Well,  if  anything  happens  Black  King,  we  Ml 
need  another  ruler  —  anyway,  next  year  there'll 
be  an  election,  and  I  want  you  to  stick  up  for  me 
as  you  did  for  Black  Fox.  You  're  so  wise  and 
eloquent,  dear  Carcajou,  that  the  others  will  do 
just  as  you  advise.  I  could  make  it  worth  while, 
too,  if  there  were  any  charges  against  you  ;  sup- 
pose some  one  accused  you  unjustly  of  having 
eaten  a  Cub  or  a  Kit  under  the  Killing  Age,  why, 
I  could  see  that  nothing  happened,  you  know." 

"Sneak!  Thief!  Murderer!"  ejaculated  Car- 
cajou disdainfully.  "  If  I  could  but  get  out  of 
this  fix,   1  'd  eat  you." 

"  What 's  the  row,  you  Fellows  ?  "  piped  a  bird- 
voice,  as  Whisky-Jack  swooped  down  to  a  small 
Poplar,  and  craned  his  neck  in  amazement  at 
the  sight  he  beheld.  "  By  my  Lonely  Life  !  "  he 
chuckled,  "  if  here  is  n't  the  King  of  all  Knaves 
sitting  with  his  hands  in  the  stocks.  Great 
Rati^ris !  but  you  're  a  wise  one ;  whose  toes 
hurt  now.  Mister  Mocker  ?  Why  does  n't  that 
cat-faced  Lynx  help  you  out  ? " 

"  I  offered  to,"  declared  Pisew,  "  but  his 
temper  is  so  vile  I  dare  not  touch  him.  He 
threatened  to  kill  me — I'm  afraid  to  go  near 
him." 


.11-,^ 


138 


MOOSWA 


■     J 


'■  It 


"  Why  don't  you  run  to  Black  King  for  help, 
you  stupid — you  can't  open  that  Trap." 

"  Wise  Bird,"  almost  sobbed  Carcajou,  in  his 
gratitude,  "  this  scheming  rascal  took  advantage 
of  my  misfortune,  and  tried  to  make  me  promise 
to  do  something  for  him,  or  he  would  let  Fran- 
cois catch  me." 

"  Pisew  is  not  to  be  trusted —  he  is  too  much 
like  a  Man,"  asserted  Jack.  Turning  to  the 
Lynx,  he  exclaimed,  angrily  :  "  You  go  on  the 
back-trail  there,  and  if  Francois  comes,  lead  him 
off  slowly  ;  just  keep  in  his  sight —  he  '11  follow 
you.  1  will  get  the  Lieutenant  out  of  this.  Mind, 
if  you  play  any  tricks,  or  break  the  Oath  of  the 
Boundaries,  the  King  will  command  Blue  Wolf 
to  break  your  back  —  he'll  do  it  too.  I  'm  off 
for  help,"  he  said  to  the  prisoner ;  "just  keep 
your  courage  up,  old  Carey  ; "  and  working  his 
fan-like  wings  with  exceeding  diligence,  he  dove 
through  the  woods  at  a  great  rate  toward  the 
King's  Burrow. 

"  I  was  only  joking,  dear  friend  Carcajou," 
said  Lynx,  fawningly,  for  he  dreaded  the  anger  of 
the  other  animals.  "  Don't  say  a  word  about 
it  to  the  King;  he  might  think  I  was  in 
earnest." 

"Tr.'iitor!"  snarled  Wolverine ;  "go  back  and 
watch  for  Francois." 


in 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     139 

"  Don't  say  any  more  about  it,"  pleaded  Pisew, 
"and  I'll  watch,  oh,  so  carefidly,  most  loyal, 
true  Eieutenant." 

Whisky-Jack's  shrill  call  from  a  tree  startled 
the  family  of  the  Red  Widow. 

"  Quick,  Royal  Son,"  she  cried,  "  there  's  a 
danger  signal.  Listen:  '  Hee-e-e-p,  hee-e-ep, 
he-e-e-ep  !  '  That  means  some  one  caught. 
Where  are  my  Sons?  All  here  but  Stripes, 
Goodness  !  "  She  wrung  her  paws  miserably,  and 
in  her  eagerness  rushed  to  the  door.  "  What  is 
it,  Bringer  of  Evil  News?  Who's  caught  — 
not  my  Baby  Cub?  "  she  asked  of  Whisky-Jack. 

"  No,  Good  Dame.  Would  you  believe  it, 
the  cleverest  one  in  all  the  Boundaries,  except- 
ing your  Son,  is  now  keeping  the  jaws  of  a  Trap 
apart  with  his  own  soft  paws  —  it's  Carcajou." 

"  What  's  to  do  ? "  cried  Black  Fox,  joining 
his  Mother. 

"  Carcajou  is  caught !  "  she  answered,  heaving 
a  sigh  of  relief  that  it  was  n't  Cross-stripes. 

Jay  Bird  explained  the  situation. 

"  Nobody  but  Muskwa  can  spring  a  Number 
Four  Trap,"  asserted  the  King;  "and  ht^  is 
holed  up  these  two  days  —  isn't  he,  Mother?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  assented.  "  And  asleep  by  now. 
You  will  find  him  at  the  big  Burrow  that  is  in 
the  fourth  cut-bank  from  here  up  stream." 


140 


MOOSWA 


m%t:u  „ 


"  The  old  Chap  must  get  up,  then,"  cried 
Black  Fox,  with  emphasis,  "  for  he  is  not  in  the 
deep  frost-sleep  yet.  Here,  Jack,  run  and  bring 
Beaver  to  cut  off  the  pole  Carcajou's  Trap  is 
ringed  to,  and  I'll  go  for  Muskwa;  if  you  see 
Rof,  tell  him  to  meet  me  at  Bear's  Burrow." 

The  King  had  a  trem  ^dou  ':in  e  with  Musk- 
wa. Bruin  was  sleepy  ?.'!<•'  •  mnky.  "Quick! 
wake  up,  Brother!"  Blacl  Ioa  shouted  in  his 
ear.     The  Bear  never  moved — siii.j  ly  snored. 

The  energetic  visitor  turned  tail  on,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  rake  Bruin's  ribs  with  his  strong  hind 
feet  as  a  dog  makes  the  gravel  fly.  Muskwa 
grunted  and  simply  flicked  his  short,  woolly  ears. 
The  King  jumped  on  him,  set  up  the  long  howl 
of  the  Kill  in  his  very  face,  put  his  sharp  teeth 
through  one  of  the  nerveless  ears,  and  generally 
held  a  small  riot  over  the  sleeper.  He  never 
would  have  managed  to  wake  Bear  had  not  Blue 
Wolf  arrived  to  help  him. 

Muskv/a  was  for  all  the  world  like  a  maudlin, 
drunken  old  sailor.  "  All  right,  you  Fellows," 
he  said  gfoggily,  his  eyes  still  closed,  "  I  don't 
want  any  more  Berries  —  eat  'em  yourself." 

"  Not  Berries  !  "  howled  Wolf;  "  Carcajou  is 
in  a  Trap." 

"  Go  'way  —  don't  believe  it.  Carcajou  's  an 
old  Sweep! " 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     141 


:ried 

the 

ring 

p   is 

see 


Blue  Wolf's  powerful  voice  rang  the  Chase 
Note  in  Muskwa's  ear.  It  woke  the  big  fellow 
sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  take  a  side-hook 
sweep  at  the  offender  with  his  disengaged  paw. 
The  blow  was  a  sleepy  one,  else  it  had  cracked 
his  tormentor's  skull. 

"  He  's  coming  all  right,"  remarked  the  King, 
critically. 

"  By  the  Flavour  of  Meat,  he  is  !  "  ejaculated 
Rof. 

In  the  end  they  got  Muskwa  on  his  feet,  with 
a  little  understanding  in  his  stupor-clogged  brain, 
and  half-pushing,  half-leading,  conducted  him  to 
where  Carcajou  was  sitting  in  the  stocks.  In  his 
flight  Whisky-Jack  had  met  Mooswa,  and  he 
was  there  also.  Beaver  was  chiselling  away  at 
the  pole ;  ^or  once  loosened,  even  if  they  could 
not  spring  the  Trap  sufficiently  to  get  Carcajou's 
paws  out,  between  them  they  might  manage  to 
get  him  away  and  cached  somewhere ;  anything 
was  better  than  letting  him  fall  into  the  Trapper's 
hands. 

"  Of  all  the  wood  I  ever  cut  this  is  the  worst," 
panted  Umisk,  resting  for  a  minute.  "It  cramps 
my  neck  cutting  down  so  close  sideways.  It  is 
dry  Tamarack,  the  slivers  are  all  sticking  in  my 
tongue." 

As  Black  Fox  and  Rof  withdrew  their  paws 


142 


MOOSWA 


*•  »H  I'll  IMS  '■ 
''it 


from  under  Muskwa's  arms,  he  keeled  over  lazily 
and  wont  sound  asleep  in  two  seconds.  "  Give 
him  a  good  lift  with  your  hind-foot,  Mooswa," 
commanded  the  King,  sharply.  "  Of  all  the 
heavy-brained  Animals  I  ever  saw  ! " 

"  If  we  but  had  some  of  Man's  fire,"  opined 
Jack,  '*  we  could  wake  him  up  quick  enough  by 
singeing  a  couple  of  my  feathers  under  his  nose." 

Mooswa  planted  both  hind-feet,  bang !  in  Be  ir's 
ribs;  Rof  gave  a  deep  bay  in  his  face;  Black 
King  once  more  put  his  saw-like  teeth  through 
an  ear  ;  and  by  these  gentle,  persuasive  methods 
Muskwa  was  wakened  sufficiently  to  get  on  his 
feet.  He  swayed  drunkenly.  "  Stop  fighting, 
Cubs  !  "  he  growled,  under  the  impression  that 
he  was  being  bothered  by  some  of  his  own  children. 

"  Get  up  and  squeeze  the  springs  of  the  Trap 
—  Car:ajou  is  caught!  Here  they  are  —  put  a 
paw  on  each  —  there  !  squeeze  !  "  yelled  Black 
Fox. 

Just  then  Beaver  finished  cutting  the  pole,  and 
it  fell  with  a  crash  —  the  noise  helped  waken 
Muskwa. 

"  Slip  the  ring  off  the  stub,  Umisk,  that 's  a 
good  Chap,"  cned  Wolverine.  This  done,  he 
and  the  Trap  clattered  to  the  ground. 


(C 


C 


ome     on 


screamed      Black     Fox     to 


Muskwa,    as    he  and    Rof   shouldered    him    to 


the 


THE  TRAPPING  OK  WOLVERINE     143 

the  Trap.  "  Squeeze  now  !  "  the  Fox  shouted 
again,  placing  Bear's  powerful  paws  on  the 
springs. 

"  I  '11  squeeze,"  answered  Bruin,  petulantly ; 
"but  why  don't  you  speak  louder — say  what 
you  mean.  You  Fellows  have  all  got  colds —  1 
can't  hear  you." 

"  Dead  Eagles  !  but  Fran9ois  will,"  remarked 

"There,  now,  a  little  harder  —  use  your 
strength,    Muskwa  ! " 

The  Bear  pressed  his  great  weight  on  the 
springs;  they  slipped  down,  and  the  jaws  slowly 
opened  like  the  sides  of  a  travelling-bag.  With 
a  cry  of  delight  Carcajou  pulled  his  bruised  fin- 
gers out,  and  in  gratitude  rubbed  his  shorf:  little 
Coon-like  head  against  Bruin's  great  cheek. 
"  Good  old  Muskwa  !  "  he  cried  joyfully  ;  "  I  '11 
never  forget  this." 

"  Your  fingers  will  be  a  long  time  sore,  then," 
sneered  Jay. 

*''  Never  —  mind  —  little  friend.  It 's  all  right ; 
let  me  go  —  to  sleep  now,  don't  — don't  bother ;  " 
and  he  flopped  over  like  a  bag  of  potatoes,  sighed 
wearily  once  or  twice,  and  started  off  with  a 
monotonous,  bubbling  snore.  "  He  's  hopeless," 
moaned  the  King.  "  We  '11  never  get  him 
home." 


144 


MOOSWA 


1  ":  i) 


:«:-! 


'      '■■'.l'# 
'■'«■■««,,  HI 


"  I  saw  Fran9ois  just  like  that  once,"  chirped 
Whisky-Jack ;  "  he  had  some  medicine  in  a 
bottle,  and  the  more  of  it  he  took  the  sleepier 
he  got." 

"  How  in  the  name  of  Many  Birds  shall  we 
ever  get  him  back  to  his  hole  ?  "  asked  Black 
Fox,  perplexedly. 

"  I  Ml  carry  him,"  declared  the  Moose. 
"  Here,  you  Fellows,  roll  him  up  on  my 
horns ; "  and  dropping  to  his  knees  Mooswa 
put  the  great,  chair-like  spread  of  his  antlers 
down  to  the  snow. 

"  Come,  Pisew,  give  us  a  hand,"  commanded 
the  King.  Beaver,  and  Lynx,  and  Rof,  and 
Black  Fox  shouldered  and  pushed  at  the  huge 
black  ball,  and  Mooswa  kept  edging  his  horn- 
cradle  in  under  the  mass,  until  finally  Muskwa 
lay  snugly  in  the  hollow. 

"  Now  all  give  a  mighty  push,  and  help  me 
up ! "  snuffed  the  Moose.  "  All  right,"  he 
added,  staggering  to  his  feet,  and  pointing  his 
nose  skyward,  allowing  the  burdened  antlers  to 
lie  along  his  withers. 

"  Ride  with  Muskwa,  Jack,"  commanded  the 
King,  "  and  show  Mooswa  the  old  Sleeper's  house. 
Branch  out,  the  rest  of  you,  and  make  the  Many- 
trail  ;  for  many  trails  make  few  catches."  Car- 
cajou was  sitting  on    his   haunches,  licking  his 


fir 

t 

w 

/ 

1 

i* 

^ 

• 

-.tH 

^  vji 

1 

T^.& 

; 

•  1 

lil^ 

"'^l^^^l 

- 1 

|>^'^ . 

»    ^^^Plft' 

' 

>. 

!w 

^ 

4^: 

u 

% 

k%\«:,^ 

^    * 

^^ 

■ 

t| 

V 

r 

.-Jj 

^        _ 

^ i 

THEY   WERE   A  FL'NNY-LOOKING   PARTY, 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  WOLVERINE     145 

aching  paws.  "  How  are  you  going  to  get 
home,  Little  Comrade?"  he  asked. 

"  I  *11  give  him  a  lift,"  interposed  Blue  Wolf. 
"  Clamber  up,  old  Curiosity."  They  were  a 
funny-looking  party  —  quite  like  an  ambulance 
train ;  Muskwa  asleep  on  Mooswa's  horns,  and 
Carcajou  astraddle  of  Wolf's  strong  back. 

"Walk  in  RoPs  tracks,  Pisew,  till  you  strike 
a  muskeg,"  ordered  the  King ;  "  Fran9ois  won't 
fancy  the  fun  of  following  a  traveller  like  you 
through  a  big  swamp." 

"  I  should  like  to  hide  that  Trap,"  lamented 
Carcajou. 

"Oh,  never  mind,"  interrupted  Black  Fox. 
"Get  away  home,  everybody." 

"  I  '11  hear  some  choice  French  to-night,"  de- 
clared Jack.  "  When  Francois  discovers  that 
somebody  has  robbed  his  Trap,  he  '11  jabber 
himself  asleep." 

All  the  way  to  his  home  Carcajou  swore  ven- 
geance on  the  Man  who  had  made  his  paws 
so  sore.  "  You  '11  do  it.  Brother,"  said  Rof, 
"  and  I  don't  blame  you.  Of  course  we  must 
remember  our  oath -.about  The   Boy" 


10 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  TRAIN   DOGS 


■•).ciii« 


!*<*  ,- 


Mfl.' 


'<■  Jt, 


■'.tillf 


FOR  three  days  nothing  unusual  happened. 
Hunger  commenced  to  nip  at  every  one, 
for,  as  we  know,  it  was  the  Seventh  Year  of  the 
Rabbit  cycle,  and  they  were  scarce.  All  the 
others  envied  old  Muskwa,  slumbering  peace- 
fully, nourished  by  the  fat  of  his  Summer's 
pillage. 

The  narrow  body  of  Lynx  was  getting  nar- 
rower, the  gaunt  sides  of  Blue  Wolf  gaunter. 
Fisher  and  Marten  were  living  on  Deer  Mice, 
Squirrels,  and  small  game ;  and  the  Red  Wid- 
ow's family  were  depending  almost  entirely  upon 
Spruce  Partridge  —  the  flesh  of  these  birds  had 
become  particularly  astringent,  too.  The  gray- 
mottled,  pin-tail  Grouse  had  entirely  disappeared 
—  better  eating  they  were,  the  Widow  contended  ; 
but  in  tlie  Seventh  Year  it  was  not  a  m:itter  of 
selection  at  all,  and  each  Animal  was  poaching  on 
the  other's  preserve — all  because  of  the  scarcity 
of  Wapoos.  But  in  spite  of  the  general  starva- 
tion, every  one  left  a  small  dole  of  his  food  for 


COMING  OF  THE  TRAIN  DOGS     147 


DOGS 

ppened. 
ery  one, 
•  of  the 
All  the 
r  peace- 
immer's 

ng  nar- 
^aunter. 
r  Mice, 
d  Wid- 
ly  upon 
rds  had 
e  gray- 
ppeared 
tended ; 
itter  of 
ling  on 
scarcity 
sta.'va- 
3od  for 


Carcajou,  whose  paws  were  too  sore  to  prowl 
about.  He  felt  the  restricted  diet  more  than 
any  of  them,  being  a  perfect  gourmand, —  "  Gulo 
the  Glutton,"  that  was  his  name  ;  and  he  liked 
good  living. 

On  the  fourth  day  Whisky-Jack,  startled  his 
comrades  with  the  announcement  that  Fran9ois 
had  acquired  a  train  of  four  dogs  from  Niche- 
mous,  who  was  passing  down  the  ice-road  of  the 
river  with  a  Free-Trader.  Blue  Wolf  snuffed 
discontentedly  at  the  news ;  they  were  his  ene- 
mies, and  many  a  scar  he  can-ied  as  souvenir 
of  combats  with  these  domesticated  cousins. 
Family  instinct,  however,  led  him  to  skulk 
close  to  Fran9ois's  Shack  one  evening  hoping  to 
see  the  dogs.  He  went  often  after  the  first 
visit,  though  advised  by  Carcajou  that  it  would 
end  in  his  getting  a  destroying  blast  from  the 
Firestick. 

"  They  have  n't  got  one,"  Rof  assured  him. 
"  You  destroyed  the  only  Ironstick  they  had.' 

"  That  was  an  old  Trade  Musket,"  retorted 
Wolverine.  "  Francois  is  too  clever  to  put  his 
good  Ironstick  out  in  the  wet.  You  '11  find  that 
he  has  another,  if  you  don't  keep  away.  What's 
the  attraction,  anyway  ?  "  he  asked.  "  There 
can't  be  anything  to  eat  there,  with  those  yelping 
Huskies  about." 


148 


MOOSWA 


»••« 


•  lit 


It  was  Whisky-Jack  who  gave  the  secret 
away.  "  Blue  Wolf's  i:i  love,"  he  said,  solemnly  ; 
"  three  of  the  Train  are  of  the  sister  kind,  and 
Rof's  got  his  eye  on  one.  Frp.n9ois  calls  her 
*  Marsh  Maid,'  but  the  Train-leader  is  a  big 
Huskie  Dog,  and  he  '11  chew  Growler  the  Wolf 
into  little  bits — I  sha'n't  mind,  Rof's  too  surly 
for  me." 

Blue  Wolf  became  a  great  dandy  ;  brushed  his 
coat  —  scraped  the  snow  away  from  a  moss  patch 
in  the  Jack-Pines,  and  rubbed  his  shaggy  fur  till 
it  became  quite  presentable. 

The  big  fight  that  Jack  anticipated  so  eagerly 
materialized,  but,  contrary  to  Jay's  forecast,  Rof 
trounced  the  Huskie  soundly.  After  that  he 
came  and  went  pretty  much  as  he  desired  — 
growled  his  admiration  of  Marsh  Maid,  and 
took  forcible  possession  of  Huskie's  White 
Fish. 

All  this  nearly  brought  sorrow  to  the  Red 
Widow's  family,  for  Stripes,  the  Kit-Fox,  having 
his  curiosity  roused  by  Jrck's  recital  of  Blue 
Wolf's  doings,  incautiously  ventured  close  to 
the  Shack  one  day  to  have  a  look  at  the  Train. 
With  an  angry  howl  Huskie  swooped  down 
upon  him,  and  but  for  Rod,  who,  hearing 
Stripes's  plaintive  squeal,  rushed  out  and  drove 
the  Dog  off,  he  would  have  been  most  effectually 


COMING  OF  THE  TRAIN  DOCr     149 

eaten  up.  The  young  Fox  fled  for  his  life,  and 
his  tale  of  this  adventure  filled  the  Red  Widow's 
heart  with  gratitude  toward  The  Boy. 

Within  the  Boundaries  :he  food  fever  was 
strong  on  the  Animals,  and  Fran9ois's  baits  be- 
came an  almost  irresistible  temptation.  Trap 
after  Trap  Black  King  and  his  family  robbed, 
leaving  the  Meat  with  the  White  Powder  in,  and 
taking  it  when  it  was  clear  of  this,  until  Fran9ois 
was  in  despair. 

"  By  Goss ! "  he  confided  to  The  Boy,  "  I 
t'ink  me  we  goin'  keel  no  fur  here.  Dat  Carca- 
jou he  de  Debil,  but  mos'  all  de  odder  Animal 
is  Debil  too.  S'pose  I  put  out  de  Trap,  dey  take 
de  bait,  cac'e  de  Trap,  and  s'pose  me  dey  laugh 
by  deyselves.  I  see  dat  Black  Fox  two,  t'ree 
time,  an'  I  know  me  his  track  now ;  ev'ry  day  I 
see  dat  tracks.  But  we  must  catc'  him.  What 
fur  we  keel  now?  Not  enough  to  pay  fer  de 
grub  stake." 


THE   TRAPPING   OF    BLACK    FOX 


liHii;tt,|»** 


I**!  H 


4i, 


■!  in 


SO  far  all  the  plans  of  the  Half-breed  for 
capturing  Black  Fox  had  failed ;  but  one 
da^•  conditions  were  favourable  for  his  master- 
stroke  —  a  rare  trick  known  only  to  himself. 
He  smiled  grimly  when  in  the  early  morning  he 
discovered  that  the  snow  bore  a  tender  young 
crust  just  sufficient  to  bear  a  fair-sized  animal. 
His  preparations  were  elaborate. 

"  To-day  we  catc'  dat  black  fell','*  he  said, 
gleefully,  to  Rod.  "  You  waii  here  till  1  s'oot 
Mister  Mus'rat  firs'  for  bait,  den  I  s'o'*^  you 
some  treek." 

Soon  Fran9ois  returned  with  a  freshly  killed 
Muskrat,  which  he  promptly  skinned,  taking 
great  care  not  to  touch  th"  meat  with  his  hands. 
Putting  the  hindquarters  in  a  pouch  formed  from 
the  blood-stained  skin,  he  next  made  a  long- 
handled  scraper.  "Now  I  fix  dis  tea-dance 
\^'iere  de  fox  alway  go  for  sit  in  one  place  ever' 
day  —  I  know  me  dat  place,"  he  chuckled 
as,  gathering  up  the  outfit,  he  started  for  the 
Forest. 


THE  TRAPPING  OF   BLACK   FOX     151 

Arrived  there  Fran9ois  pulled  the  snow  from 
under  the  gentle  crust  with  his  scraper  for  a  space 
of  six  or  eight  feet,  leaving  a  miniature  cave 
under  the  frozen  shell.  Into  this  he  shoved 
two  strong  steel  Traps,  and  using  a  long  stick 
emptied  the  Muskrat  pouch  of  its  meat  just 
above. 

"  Now,  Mister  S'arp-nose,"  muttered  the 
Breed,  "  I  t'ink  me  you  no  smell  not'ing  but 
Meat.  You  don't  like  smell  Francois,  eh  ?  For 
dat     I    give    me    de     Mus'rat    smell    for    you' 


nose. 


Backing  away  from  his  work  the  Half-breed 
carefully  smoothed  down  the  snow  into  his  tracks 
for  a  long  distance,  then  filling  his  pipe,  lighted 
it,  and  trudged  back  to  the  Shack  to  await  the 
success  of  this  ruf:.  When  Black  King  came  up 
the  wind,  winding  up  the  meat-scent  like  a  ball 
of  yarn,  he  struck  a  new  combination.  There 
were  no  evidences  of  Man's  handicraft ;  no  Trap 
insight — no  baited  gun;  no  Marten  stockade; 
no  bent  sapling  with  a  hungry  noose  dangling  to 
iej  but  there  were  undoubtedly  two  nice,  juicy, 
appetizing  pieces  of  meat  lying  on  top  of  the 
undisturbed  snow-crust. 

Black  Fox  sat  down  and  surveyed  the  surround- 
ing territory  critically  ;  cocked  his  sharp  eyes  and 
sharper  nose   toward  all  points  of  the  compass. 


152 


MOOSWA 


In 


I 


The  Forest  was  like  a  graveyar(^  —  as  silent ;  no 
hidden  enemy  lurked  near  witn  ready  Firestick 
—  his  nose  assured  him  on  that  point. 

Then  he  walked  gingerly  in  a  big  circle  all 
about  the  glamourous  centre-piece  of  sweet-smell- 
ing meat,  his  nose  prospecting  every  inch  of  the 
ground.  Something  had  evidently  disturbed  the 
snow  where  Fran9ois  had  smoothed  it  down. 
Three  c-rcles  he  completed  like  this ;  each  one 
smaller  and  closer  to  the  Bait.  Three  lengths 
of  himself  from  the  covered-danger  he  sat  down 
again,  and  tried  to  think  it  out. 

"  It  can't  be  a  Trap,"  he  mused  ;  "  nothing 
has  walked  where  the  eating  is,  that  much  is  cer- 
tain. Fran9ois  can  smooth  the  white  ground- 
cover  down,  but  can't  put  a  crust  on  it. 
Starvation  Year!  but  that  Meat  smells  good  — 
I  have  n't  eaten  for  two  days.  I  wish  it  were  a 
Trap  —  then  I  should  know  what  I  was  about. 
It  looks  mighty  suspicious  —  must  be  the  White 
Powder ;  think  I  had  better  leave  it  alone.  If 
there  were  only  a  Trap  in  sight  I  would  tackle  it 
quick  enough ;  it 's  easy  to  spring  one  of  those 
things  and  get  the  Bait." 

He  trotted  away  twenty  yards,  meaning  to  go 
home  and  not  risk  it.  Suddenly  he  stopped, 
sat  down  once  more  and  thought  it  all  over 
again,   his  determination  \veakened    by   appetite. 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK    FOX     15J 

His  lean  stomach  clamoured  tor  the  Meat  — 
it  was  full  of  nothing  but  the  great  pain  of 
hunger. 

"  Forest  Devils!  "  muttered  the  hesitating  Fox  ; 
"  I  believe  I  'm  losing  my  nerve  —  am  afraid  be- 
cause there  is  n't  anything  in  sight  but  the  Meat. 
I  'd  never  hear  the  last  of  it  if  Carcajou,  or  Pisew, 
or  any  of  them  came  along,  saw  my  trail,  and  then, 
having  more  pluck  than  1  've  got,  went  and  ate 
that  free  eating.  I  wonder  what  it  is  ?  Smells 
like  a  cut  of  Muskrat,  or  a  piece  of  Caribou ;  it 's 
not  Fish." 

He  walked  back  cautiously,  irresolutely,  and 
took  a  look  from  the  opposite  side.  "  I  have  a 
notion  to  try  it;  I  can  tell  if  there's  White 
Medicine  about  when  I  get  it  at  the  end  of 
my  nose,"  he  said,  peering  all  about  carefully  ; 
there  was  nobudy  in  sight  —  nothing  I  "  vV-^.iien 
Foxes  !  "  but  he  was  nervous.  His  big  "  brush  " 
was  simply  trembling  with  the  fear  of  some  un- 
known danger.  He  laughed  hysterically  at  the 
idea.  It  was  the  unusualness  of  Meat  lying 
on  the  snow  and  no  evidence  of  why  it  should 
be  there:  there  was  no  appearance  of  a  Kill 
near  the  spot.  How  in  the  world  had  it  come 
there  ?  There  was  no  track  leading  up  to  nor 
away  from  it;  perhaps  Hawk,  or  Whisky-Jack, 
or   some    other    bird    had   dropped   it.     It   was 


•54 


MOOSWA 


It 


'     •'(» 


X  -Hi, 


'"**n 


the   most   wonderful    problem    he    had   ever   run 
up  against. 

But  thinking  it  over  brought  no  solution ; 
also  his  stomach  clamoured  loutlcr  and  louder  tor 
the  appetizing  morsel.  Rising  up,  Black  King 
crept  cautiously  towards  the  fascinating  object. 
His  foot  went  through  the  snow  crust.  "This 
would  n't  bear  up  a  Baby  Lynx,"  he  thought. 
*'  Neither  Francois  nor  any  other  Man  can  have 
been  near  that  Meat." 

He  took  another  step  —  and  another,  eyes 
and  nose  inspecting  every  inch  of  the  snow. 
He  could  almost  reach  it;  another  step,  and  as 
his  paw  sank  through  the  crust  it  touched  some- 
thing smooth  and  slippery.  There  was  a  clang 
of  iron,  and  the  bone  of  his  left  fore-leg  was 
clamped  tight  in  the  cruel  jaws  of  a  Fox  Trap. 

Poor  old  Black  King!  Despair  and  pain 
stretched  him,  sobbing  queer  little  whimpering 
cries  of  anguish  in  the  snow.  Only  for  an  in- 
stant ;  then  he  realized  that  unless  help  came 
from  his  Comrades  his  peerless  coat  would  soon 
be  stretched  skin-side  out  on  a  wedge-shaped 
board  in  Frangois's  shack.  Shrill  and  plaintive 
his  trembling  whistle,  "  Wh-e-e-he-e-e-,  Wh-e-e- 
he-e-e!  "  went  vibrating  through  the  still  Forest  in 
a  supplicating  call  to  his  companions  for  succour. 

Then  an  hour  of  despairing  anguish,  without 


\[\K  TRAIMMNG  OF   BLACK   FOX      .55 

one  single  glint  of  hope.  Kvcry  crack  of  tree- 
bark,  as  the  frost  stretched  it,  was  the  snapping 
of  a  twig  under  Krain^ois's  feet ;  every  rustle  of 
bare  branches  overhead  was  the  shuffling  rasp  of 
his  snow-shoes  on  the  yielding  crust. 

Excruciating  pains  shot  up  the  Fox's  leg  ami 
suggested  grim  tortures  in  store  when  l^"rani,ois 
had  taken  him  from  the  I'rap  -  -  perhaps  he 
would  skin  him  alive;  the  Indians  and  Half- 
breeds  were  so  frightfully  cruel  to  Animals.  If 
only  Carcajou,  or  Whisky-Jack,  or  dear  old 
Mooswa  could  hear  his  whistle  —  surely  they 
would  help  him  out.  Suddenly  he  heard  the 
rustle  of  Jack's  wings,  and  turned  eagerly.  A 
big,  brown,  belated  leaf  fluttered  idly  from  a  Cot- 
tonwood and  fell  in  the  snow.  There  was  no 
Whisky-Jack  in  sight  —  nothing  but  the  help- 
less, shrivelled  leaf  scurrying  away  before  the 
wind. 

At  intervals  he  barked  a  call,  then  listened. 
How  deadly  silent  the  F'orest  was;  his  heart 
thuinping  against  his  ribs  sounded  like  the  beat 
of  Partridge's  wing-drums  at  the  time  of  mating. 

Strange  fancies  for  an  animal  flitted  through 
his  mind  —  something  like  a  man's  thoughts  when 
he  drifts  close  to  death.  Why  had  Wiesahke- 
chack,  who  was  God  of  Man  and  Animals,  ar- 
ranged it  this  way.     During  all   his   life    Black 


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156 


MOOSWA 


»?  ) 


I" 


■'Ot 


King  had  killed  only  when  hunger  forced  him 
to  it ;  but  here  was  Fran(;ois,  a  Man,  killing, 
killing  always  —  killing  everything.  And  for 
what  ?  Not  to  eat ;  for  the  Breed  had  flour 
in  plenty,  and  meat  that  was  already  killed.  It 
was  not  because  of  hunger;  but  simply  to  steal 
their  coats,  that  he  or  some  other  Man  or 
Woman  might  look  fine  in  fur-clothes  stolen 
from  the  Boundary  Dwellers  —  at  the  sacrifice 
of  their  lives. 

Again  Black  Fox  heard  a  leaf  sawing  its  whis- 
pering way  down  through  the  willow  wands :  he 
even  did  not  turn  his  head.  But  it  was  wings 
this  time ;  and  a  cheery,  astonished  voice  sang 
out:  "  Hello,  Your  Majesty,  what  are  you  doing 
there  with  your  hands  in  the  snow — feeling  for 
a  Mole's  nest.^  " 

*'  Praise  to  Wiesahkechack  !  "  cried  the  King  ; 
"  is  that  you.  Jay  ?  I'm  trapped  at  last,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  and  you  must  fly  like  the  wind  and  get 
some  of  our  Comrades  to  help  me  out." 

"  There  's  a  poor  chance,"  said  the  Bird,  de- 
spondently ;  "  as  you  know,  none  of  us  can  spring 
that  big  Trap  but  Muskwa,  and  we'll  never  get 
him  out  now  —  he  is  dead  to  the  world." 

"What  am  I  to  do?"  moaned  the  King  — 
"  we  must  try   something." 

"  Oh,  we  shall  get  you  out  of  here.     I  '11  call 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK  FOX     157 

Beaver  to  cut  the  stake  that  holds  the  chain,  and 
you  'II  just  have  to  carry  the  Trap  home  with 
you.  Carcajou  might  be  strong  enough  to  press 
down  the  spring,  but  his  hands  are  so  pulftd  up 
from  the  squeeze  they  got,  he  can't  do  a  thing 
with  them.  Don't  fret ;  I  will  soon  get  them  all 
here,  and  we'll  see  what  can  be  done." 

In  a  wonderfully  short  time  Jack  had  sum- 
moned Beaver,  Mooswa,  Blue  Wolf,  and   Lynx. 

Mooswa's  great  heart  was  touched  at  the  sight 
of  their  Sovereign's  misery.  "My  services  are 
of  little  use  here,"  he  said.  "  I  will  go  back  on 
the  trail,  close  to  the  Shack,  and  watch  for 
Francois." 

"  Sparrow  Hawks  !  "  exclaimed  Jay  ;  "  I  quite 
forgot  about  that.  Our  Friend  was  getting  ready 
to  come  out  on  his  Marten  Road  when  I  left. 
Somebody  will  feel  the  foul  breath  of  his  Iron- 
stick  if  we  don't  keep  a  sharp  lookout." 

"  All  the  better  if  he  brings  it,"  answered 
Mooswa ;  "  for  then  he  '11  follow  me,  and  I  '11 
lead  him  away  so  far  that  you'll  have  plenty  of 
time  to  get  our  King  home." 

"  Noble  Comrade  !  "  smirked  Lynx ;  "  such 
self-sacrifice  !  But  don't  you  know  that  the 
Hunter  will  never  give  up  your  trail  until  you 
are  dead  ?  The  snow  is  deep,  the  crust  won't 
hold  against  your  beautiful,  sharp  hoofs,  and  the 


158 


MOOSWA 


»»0  r. 


•  •» 


■i)tt 


j""!-,.* 


Killer  will  run  you  down  before  the  Sun  sets 
twice." 

"  Most  considerate  Traitor  I  "  snapped  Whisky- 
Jack.  "  You  would  rather  Black  King  fell  into 
FVan9ois's  hands  —  would  n't  you  ?  "  Kor  the 
Jay  knew  what  Pisew  had  said  to  Carcajou  when 
the  latter  was  in  the  Trap. 

"  All  right,  Mooswa,"  growled  Rof,  admiringly ; 
"  you  are  a  noble  fellow.  Go  and  lead  Fran9ois 
away  —  don't  get  within  burning  distance  of  his 
Firestick,  though  ;  I  and  my  Pack  will  take  care 
that  the  Man-enemy  does  n't  follow  your  trail 
after  the  closing  of  the  light  of  day." 

"  I  killed  a  Man  once,"  answered  Bull  Moose  ; 
"  but  I  '11  never  do  it  again,  nor  must  you.  Com- 
rade. That  is  a  thing  to  be  settled  amongst 
themselves  —  the  Man-kill  is  not  for  us." 

"  I  talk  not  of  killing!"  snarled  Blue  Wolf, 
surlily;  "when  our  cry  goes  up,  Fran9ois  will 
take  the  back-trail,  and  keep  it  till  he  is  safe 
within  the  walls  of  his  own  Shack  —  that's  what 
1  mean." 

"  It  is  well !  "  affirmed  the  King,  approvingly  ; 
"  act  thus,  Comrades.  We  are  not  like  Man, 
who  slays  for  the  sake  of  slaying,  and  calls  it 
sport." 

"  Most  generous  Black  King ! "  exclaimed 
Pisew,  with  an  evil   smirk. 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK  FOX      159 


un  sets 

Vhisky- 
ell  into 
hor  the 
»u  when 

iringly; 
I'rangois 
s  of  his 
,ke  care 
lur  trail 

Moose  ; 
I,  Com- 
.mongst 

Wolf, 

ois  will 

is  safe 

s  what 

vingiy  ; 
Man, 
calls  it 

:laimed 


Mooswa  and  Blue  Wolf  started  off  together. 
Uniisk  was  driving  his  ivory  chisels  through  the 
hard,  dry  Birch-stake  that  held  the  Trap.  It  was 
a  slow  job  —  almost  like  cutting  metal. 

Suddenly  a  thought  struck  Black  Fox.  "  Mow 
am  I  to  get  home  with  this  clumsy  iron  on  my 
leg?"  he  asked.  "  Mooswa  has  gone,  and  there 
is  no  one  to  carry  me." 

"  I  could  help  you  with  the  Trap,"  answered 
Umisk. 

"  And  leave  a  trail  to  the  house  like  a  Rabbit- 
run  ?  The  Breed  would  find  it,  and  murder  the 
whole  family  ;  I  *m  not  going  to  risk  my  Mother's 
skin  in  that  manner." 

"  Thoughtful  King  !  "  lisped  Pisew. 

"  True,  true,"  confirmed  Beaver.  "  Fran9ois 
would  surely  find  the  trail.  There  is  no  other 
way,  unless  —  unless  —  " 

Unless  what,  faithful  Little  Friend  ? " 
Unless  you  take  the  way  of  our  People." 

"  And  that  way  —  Friend  ?  " 

«  Cut  off  the  leg  !  " 

"  Horrible  !  "  ejaculated  Lynx. 

"  Horrible  for  you,  Frog-heart,"  interposed 
Jack.    "  The  King  is  different  —  he  's  got  pluck." 

"  Your  Majesty  will  never  get  the  Trap  off," 
continued  Beaver,  "  until  Muskwa  the  Strong 
comes  out  in  the  Spring.     Even  if  you  did  carry 


(( 


(C 


i6o 


MOOSWA 


it  home,  your  leg  would  go  bad  before  that 
tune. 

Black  Fox  pondered  for  a  minute,  weighing  care- 
fully the  terrible  alternative.  On  one  hand  was 
the  risk  of  leading  the  Trapper  to  his  carefully 
concealed  home,  and  months  of  tortured  idleness 
with  the  Trap  on  his  leg;  on  the  other  the  per- 
manent crippling  of  himself  by  amputation. 

"  Can  you  cut  the  leg  off,  wise  Umisk  ?"  he 
asked. 

"  I  did  it  once  for  my  own  Brother,  who  was 
caught,"  Beaver  answered,  simply. 

"  Take  off  mine,  then  !  "  commanded  the 
King,  decisively  ;  "  it  is  the  only  way." 

"You'll  bleed  to  death,"  said  Lynx,  solici- 
tously. 

•*  Oh,  that  would  be  lovely!"  sneered  Jack; 
"  for  then  we'd  all  choose  Pisew  as  his  successor 
—  *  Le  Roi  est  mort,  vive  le  Roi ! '  Excuse  me. 
Comrades,  that's  an  expression  Fran9ois  uses 
sometimes  when  he  drinks  Fire-water ;  it  means, 
a  live  Slink  is  better  than  a  dead  Hero." 

When  Black  Fox  gave  the  command  to  ampu- 
tate his  limb,  Beaver  ceased  cutting  the  stake, 
scuttled  over  to  a  White  Poplar,  girdled  the  tree 
close  to  the  ground,  then,  standing  on  his  strong 
hind-legs,  cut  the  bark  again  higher  up.  Next 
he  peeled  a  strip,  brought  it  over  beside  the  Fox, 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK  FOX     i6i 

and  chiselled  some  of  the  white  inner  bark,  chew- 
ing it  to  a  pulp.  "  Hold  this  in  your  mouth, 
Pisew,  and  keep  it  warm,"  Beaver  commanded, 
passing  it  to  Lynx.  "  We  shall  manage  to  stop 
the  blood,  I  think." 

"  You  will  poison  our  King,"  said  Jack,  "  if 
you  put  that  stuff  on  the  wound  after  Slink  has 
held  it  in  his  mouth." 

Beaver  paid  no  attention,  but  stripped  three 
little  threads  from  the  cloth-like  tree-lining,  and 
drew  the  fibre  through  his  teeth  to  soften  it. 
Then  he  spoke  to  the  Bird  :  "  Come  down  here. 
Jack,  and  hold  these  threads  —  your  beak  should 
be  as  good  as  a  needle  at  this  job.  Now  for 
it.  Your  Majesty  ! "  Umisk  continued,  and  one 
might  have  fancied  he  was  a  celebrated  surgeon 
rolling  up  his  sleeves  before  going  at  a  difficult 
amputation. 

"  This  is  horribly  bitter  stuff,"  muttered  Pisew 
—  "  it  tastes  like  the  Wolf-willow  berry." 

"  Good  for  the  wound  —  will  dry  up  the  bleed- 
ing ! "  affirmed  the  little  Doctor  curtly. 

"  Is  there  anything  the  matter  with  this  Bait, 
King  —  any  White  Death-powder  ?  "  he  asked. 
"If  not,  stick  it  in  your  mouth  —  it  will  brace 
you  up,  and  take  your  mind  off  the  leg." 

"There  is  no  White  Powuer  in  it  —  I  can 
guarantee  that,"  snickered  Jay.     "  I  flew  in  the 


II 


l62 


MOOSWA 


t 


')•! 


i 


door  yesterday  when  Fran9ois  and  The  Boy 
were  out,  stole  the  bottle  off  its  roost,  and 
dropped  it  through  their  water-hole  in  the  river 
ice ;  just  to  save  your  life,  Pisew,  you  know  — 
you  're  such  a  silly  Glutton  you  would  eat  any- 
thing." 

"Jack,"  said  the  King,  looking  up  gratefully, 
"  your  tongue  is  the  worst  part  of  you  —  your 
heart   is  all   right." 

"  Even  his  tongue  is  all  right  now  since  he  got 
over  the  fat  Pork,"  sneered  Pisew. 

"  Bird  of  Torture !  "  ejaculated  Black  King, 
"  but  that  hurts,  Umisk;"  for  Beaver  had  gir- 
dled the  skin  of  the  leg  even  as  he  had  the  bark 
of  the  tree. 

"  Think  of  the  Meat  in  your  mouth.  King," 
advised  Umisk.  "  Hold  up  this  skin  with  your 
claw.  Jack,"  he  commanded.  "  There  !  pull  it  a 
little  higher.  I  '11  cut  the  bone  here,  you  see ; 
then  we  '11  cover  it  with  the  skin-flap.'' 

"  Full-crop  !  but  you  have  a  great  head, 
Umisk,"  cried  Jack,  admiringly. 

"  Wh-e-e  !  Wh-e-e-e-e  !  "  squealed  the  Fox, 
crunching  his  sharp,  white  teeth  to  hold  back  the 


cries 


(( 


of 


pai 


n. 


Quick,  Pisew,  hand  out  the  Poplar-bread  — 
it's  off!  "  commanded  Beaver.  "  Now,  Jack,  the 
thread.     Hold   one  end  in  your  beak,  while   I 


i  I 


THE  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK  FOX      163 


e  Boy 
it,  and 
le  river 
now  — 
It  any- 

itefuUy, 
—  your 

:  he  got 

c  King, 
lad  gir- 
the  bark 

,  King," 
th  your 
pull  it  a 
^ou  see ; 

,t    head, 

he   Fox, 
back  the 

bread  — 
ack,  the 
while   I 


wrap  it.  There  —  let  go!  put  a  hole  through 
the  skin  here  !  "  Black  King's  tongue  was  loll- 
ing out  with  the  pain,  but  with  Jack's  strong, 
sharp  beak,  Beaver's  teeth-scalpel  and  deft  fin- 
gers, the  whole  operation  was  completed  in  half 
an  hour. 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  queried  Black  Fox  suddenly, 
cocking  his  ears  ;  "  I  heard  the  cough  of  Fran- 
cois's Firestick  —  listen  1  " 

"  I  heard  it  too,"  asserted  Jack ;  "  the  Breed 
is  after  poor  old  Mooswa.  If  he  kills  our  Com- 
rade, Blue  Wolf  and  his  Pack  will  make  short 
work  of  him." 

"  Now  we  are  ready  to  take  Your  Majesty 
home.  I  think  I  've  made  a  fairish  job  of  it," 
said  Umisk,  holding  up  the  shortened  limb  with 
great  professional  pride.  "  Bring  the  foot,  Jack, 
—  it  must  be  buried.  Pisew,  you  can  ca.ry  the 
King,  now  that  he  is  not  loaded  down  with  iron. 
There  will  be  only  your  big-footed  track  to  see ; 
for  I  '11  circle  wide,  double  a  few  times,  cross 
Long  Lake  under  the  ice,  and  our  enemy  will 
never  know  where   I  've  gone." 

"  Leave  the  foot  here,"  advised  Jay ;  "  the 
Breed  will  find  it,  see  blood  on  the  snow,  dis- 
cover Pisew's  track  leading  away,  and  think  Lynx 
has  eaten  Black  Fox  out  of  the  Trap ;  knowing 
our  friend's  cannibal  instincts,  he  '11  believe  this. 


164 


MOOSWA 


...,,..i 


'■>•!? 


•^s 


'■*,.  m 


That  will  give  our  Chief  a  chance  to  get  well ;  for 
Fran9ois,  thinking  he  's  dead,  will  not  try  again 
to  catch  him." 

"  I  don't  want  my  reputation  ruined  this  way," 
whined  Pisew. 

"  Ruin  your  reputation !  "  sneered  the  Bird. 
"  That  is  rich  !  It's  like  Skunk  complaining  of 
a  bad  odour  when  you  're  about." 

"  You  go  with  Pisew  and  Black  King,  Jack," 
ordered  Umisk,  who  had  taken  full  management 
of  the  arrangements  ;  '*  better  be  off  now  before 
the  cold-sting  gets  into  the  wound."  He  helped 
Black  Fox  on  Lynx's  back,  and  started  them  off; 
then  struck  out  in  a  different  direction  himself. 

The  Red  Widow's  first  intimation  of  this  great 
calamity  was  Jack's  thin  voice  calling  for  help  to 
get  Black  Fox  up  into  the  Burrow.  How  the 
old  lady  wept.  "  First  it  was  little  Cross-stripes, 
my  Babe,"  she  moaned,  caressing  the  King  with 
her  soft  cheek  ;  "  now  it 's  you,  my  beautiful  Son. 
Poor  Lad  !  you  '11  never  be  able  to  run  again." 

"  Oh,  yes  I  shall,  Mother,"  replied  Black  Fox. 
"The  leg  will  soon  heal  up,  and  I  '11  manage  all 
right.  I  'm  only  too  thankful  to  be  out  of  that 
horrible  Trap." 

"  Bless  Umisk's  clever  little  heart !  "  cried  the 
Widow  in  her  gratitude,  as  she  stroked  the  black 
head  with  her  paw. 


ell ;  for 
•y  again 

s  way," 

le   Bird. 
ning  of 

,  Jack," 
igement 
V  before 
;  helped 
lem  off; 
mself. 
his  great 
■  help  to 
^ow  the 
5-stripes, 
ing  with 
iful  Son. 
Lgain." 
ack  Fox. 
anage  all 
t  of  that 


THK  TRAPPING  OF  BLACK  FOX      165 

**  Not  forgetting  a  word  for  his  sharp  teeth,  eh, 
good  Dame?"  remarked  Jack. 

"  I  '11  get  food  for  the  family,"  added  Black 
King's  younger  Brother,  proudly  assuming  the 
responsibility. 

The  Red  Widow  thanked  Lynx  and  Whisky- 
Jack  for  bringing  her  wounded  son  home,  and 
begged  Pisew  to  walk  back  in  his  tracks  a  distance, 
and  use  every  endeavour  to  cover  up  the  trail 
leading  to  their  burrow. 


cried  the 
the  black 


THE    RUN    OF   THE   WOLVES 


*^1 


If 


A' 


FTER  Mooswa  left  the  others  he  walked 
to  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  Shack. 

"  Brother  Rof,"  he  said  to  his  Comrade,  "  wait 
for  me  to-night  at  Pelican  Portage  —  you  and 
your  Pack.  Jf  the  Man  follows  me  that  far,  I 
shall  be  tired  by  then,  and  need  your  help." 

"You'll  get  it,  old  Friend  —  we'll  sing  the 
Song  of  the  Kill  for  this  slayer  of  the  Boundary 
People.  There  will  be  great  sport  to-night  — 
rare  sport.  Ur-r-r-a-ah  !  but  the  Pups  will  learn 
somewhat  of  the  Chase  —  by  my  love  of  a  Long 
Run,  they  shall  !  Drink  not,  Mooswa,  while 
you  trail,  for  a  water-logged  stomach  makes  a  dry 
throat !  " 

Just  as  Blue  Wolf  disappeared  on  his  Pack- 
gathering  errand,  the  Half-breed  came  out  of  his 
Shack.  On  his  feet  were  snow-shoes  ;  over  his 
shoulder  a  bag,  and  in  his  hand  a  .45-75  Win- 
chester rifle —  he  was  ready  for  the  Marten  Road. 
Mooswa  started  off  through  the  Forest  at  a  rack- 
ing pace. 


c 
f 

c 

s 


h 


V 


THK    RUN    OF   THK    WOLVfcS     167 


walked 
Shack. 
,  "  wait 
ou  and 
t  far,  1 
I. 

ng  the 
)undary 
light  — 
ill  learn 
a  Long 
I,  while 
;s  a  dry 

Pack- 

t  of  his 
)ver  his 

5  Win- 
1  Road. 

a  rack- 


"  By  Goss ! "  exclaimed  the  Trapper,  catching 
sight  of  the  Bull  Moose,  "  I  miss  me  dat  good 
c'ance  for  s'oot." 

'I'hrowing  down  his  bag  he  started  in  pursuit, 
picking  up  Mooswa's  big  trail.  The  hoof-prints 
were  like  those  of  a  five-year-old  steer. 

Out  of  sight  the  Moose  stopped,  turned  siile- 
ways,  and  cocking  his  big  heavy  ears  forward, 
listened  intently.  Yes,  Fran(;ois  was  following  ; 
the  shuffle  of  his  snow-shoes  over  the  snow  was 
soft  and  low,  like  whispering  wind  through  the 
harp  branches  of  a  dead  Tamarack  ;  but  Mooswa 
could  hear  it  —  all  his  life  he  had  been  listening 
for  just  such  music. 

Wily  as  the  Breed  was,  sometimes  a  twig  would 
crack,  sometimes  the  snow-crust  crunch  as  he 
stepped  over  the  white  mound  of  a  buried  log. 
He  had  never  seen  a  Moose  act  as  this  one  did. 
Usually  they  raced  at  full  speed  for  miles  at  first, 
tiring  themselves  out  in  the  deep  snow  ;  while 
behind,  never  halting,  never  hesitating,  followed 
the  grim  Hunter,  skimming  easily  over  the  sur- 
face with  his  light-travelling  snow-shoes  —  and 
the  certainty  that  in  the  end  he  would  overtake 
his  victim.  But  this  chase  was  on  altogether  new 
lines ;  something  the  Half-breed  had  never  ex- 
perienced. Mooswa  kept  just  beyond  range  of 
his    gun.     A    dozen    times    inside    of    the    first 


i68 


MOOSWA 


ISO .: , 


»if 


hour  Fran9ois  caught   sight  of  the   magnificent 


itali 


antlers.  Once,  exasperated  by  the  tantalizing 
view  of  the  giant  Bull,  he  took  a  long-range 
chance-shot.  That  was  the  report  Black  King 
had  heard. 

When  Francois  came  to  the  spot  in  which 
Mooswa  had  been  standing,  he  examined  the 
snow  —  there  was  no  blood.  "By  Goss  !  "  he 
muttered,  "  I  t'ink  some  one  put  bad  Medicine 
on  me.     P'raps  dat  Moose,  he  Debil  Moose." 

Hour  after  hour  the  hunter  followed  the  Bull's 
trail ;  hour  after  hour  Mooswa  trotted,  and  walked, 
and  rested,  and  doubled,  and  circled,  just  as  it 
suited  the  game  he  was  playing.  Fran9ois,  like 
nil  Indians  or  Breeds,  had  no  love  for  a  long  shot 
—  ammunition  was  too  precious  to  be  wasted. 
He  could  wear  the  Moose  down  in  two  days, 
surely ;  then  at  twenty  or  thirty  yards  his  gun 
would  do  the  rest. 

In  the  afternoon  he  tightened  the  loin-belt  one 
hole —  his  stomach  was  getting  empty;  but  that 
did  not  matter — he  could  travel  better.  If  the 
fast  lasted  for  three  days  it  was  of  no  moment; 
for  when  the  Moose  was  skin  and  brought  to  the 
Shack  by  dog-train,  the  pot  would  boil  night  and 
day,  and  he  would  feast  as  long  as  he  had  fasted. 
The  thought  of  the  fat,  butter-like  nose  of  this 
misshapen    Animal    brought    moisture    to    the 


nificent 
talizing 
g-range 
Ic  King 

I  which 
led  the 
;s!"   he 

[edicine 

»> 
3se. 

e  Bull's 

walked, 

St  as  it 

ois,  like 

ng  shot 

wasted. 

0  days, 
his  gun 

belt  one 
but  that 
If  the 
loment; 
It  to  the 
ight  and 

1  fasted. 
of  this 
to    the 


THE   RUN   OF   THE   WOLVES     169 

parched  lips  of  the  long-striding  Half-breed  — 
that  delicacy  would  soon  be  his.  He  travelled 
faster  at  the  thought  of  it ;  also  he  must  push 
his  quarry  to  tire  him,  so  the  Moose  would  lie 
down  and  rest  all  night. 

The  dusk  was  beginning  to  settle  down  as 
Mooswa  struck  straight  for  Pelican  Portage, 
though  it  was  only  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
Would  Blue  Wolf  be  there  to  turn  back  the 
pursuer  ?  If  by  any  chance  his  comrade  missed, 
what  a  weary  struggle  he  would  have  next  day 
with  the  blood-thirsty  Breed  ever  on  his  trail. 
As  Mooswa  neared  the  Portage,  a  low,  whimper- 
ing note  caught  his  ear.  Then  another  answered 
close  by ;  and  another,  and  another  joined  in, 
until  the  woods  rang  with  a  fierce  chorus  —  it  was 
the  Wolf-pack's  Call  of  the  Killing :  — 

"  Wh-i-m-m-p  !  Wh-i-i-m-m-p  !  buh-h  ! 
bu-h-h  !  buh-h-h  !  O-o-o-o-h-h  !  O-o-o-o-h-h  ! 
Bl-o-o-d  !  Bl-o-o-d  !  !  Bl-o-o-o-o-d  ! ! !  "  That 
was  the  Wolf-cry,  sounding  like  silvery  music  in 
the  ears  of  the  tired  Moose. 

"  Hungry,  every  one  of  them  ! "  he  mut- 
tered. "If  Francois  stumbles,  or  sleeps,  or  for- 
gets the  Man-look  for  a  minute,  Rof 's  Pack  will 
slay  him."  Then  he  coughed  asthmatically,  and 
Blue  Wolf  bounded  into  the  open,  shaking  his 
shaggy  coat. 


lyo 


MOOSWA 


i    i 


im 


"  Safe  passage,  Brothers,  for  Mooswa,"  he 
growled,  with  authority  ;  "  also  no  kilHng  for  the 
Hunt-man,  for  the  hunt  is  of  our  doing." 

Fran9ois  heard  the  Wolf-call  too,  and  a  chill 
struck  his  heart.  Night  was  coming  on,  he  was 
alone  in  the  woods,  and  in  front  of  him  a  Pack 
of  hungry  Wolves.  Turning,  he  glided  swiftly 
over  the  back-trail. 

"The  Kill-Call,  Brothers,"  cried  Rof,  his 
sharp  eyes  seeing  this  movement  of  the  fleeing 
Breed.  Once  again  the  death-bells  of  the  for- 
est, the  Blood  Song  of  Blue  Wolf,  rang  out : 
«W-a-h-h-h!  W-a-h-h-h!  Gur-h-h-h  !  Yap! 
yap  !  !  yap  !  ! ! "  which  is  the  snarl-fastening  of 
teeth  in  flesh,  the  gurring  choke  of  blood  in  the 
throat,  and  the  satisfied  note  of  victory. 

The  Hunter  became  the  hunted,  and  into  his 
throat  crept  the  wild,  unreasoning  terror  that 
Mooswa  and  every  other  living  animal  had  known 
because  of  his  desire  for  their  lives.  What  would 
avail  a  rifle  in  the  night  against  Blue  Wolf's 
hungry  Brethren  ?  True,  he  could  climb  a  tree 
—  but  only  to  freeze  ;  the  starlit  sky  would  send 
down  a  steel-pointed  frost  that  would  soon  bring 
on  a  death-sleep,  and  tumble  him  to  the  yellow 
fangs  of  the  gray  watchers. 

Mile  on  mile  the  Half-breed  fled,  nursing  his 
strength  with  a  woodman's  instinct.     How  use- 


1 1 


»» 


ra.y      he 
for  the 

a  chill 

,  he  was 

a  Pack 

swiftly 

lof,  his 
fleeing 
the  for- 
tig  out : 
Yap! 
ning  of 
I  in  the 

into  his 
-or  that 
i  known 
It  would 
Wolfs 
b  a  tree 
uld  send 
Dn  bring 
i  yellow 

-sing  his 
[ow  use- 


THE   RUN   OF   THE   WOLVES     171 

less,  too,  seemed  the  flight ;  those  swift-rushing, 
merciless  Wolves  would  overtake  him  as  soon  as 
the  shadows  had  deepened  into  night.  He  had 
his  Buffalo  knife,  and  when  they  pressed  too 
close,  could  build  a  fire ;  that  might  save  him  — 
it  was  a  bare  possibility. 

With  the  thirst  for  Mooswa's  olood  upon  him, 
his  eager  straining  after  the  fleeing  animal  had 
been  exhilaration ;  desire  had  nourished  his 
stomach,  and  anticipated  victory  kept  his  throat 
moist:  now  the  Death-fear  turned  the  night-wind 
to  a  hot  fire-blast ;  his  lungs  pumped  and  ham- 
mered for  a  cooling  lotion  ;  his  heart  pounded  at 
the  bone-ribs  with  a  warning  note  for  rest.  The 
thews  that  had  snapped  with  strong  elasticity  in 
the  morning,  now  tugged  and  pulled  with  the 
ache  of  depression;  going,  he  had  chosen  his  path 
over  the  white  carpet,  coolly  measuring  the  lie  of 
each  twig,  and  brush,  and  stump ;  now  he  trav- 
elled as  one  in  a  thicket.  Small  skeleton  Spruce- 
shoots,  stripped  of  their  bark  by  hungry  Wapoos, 
and  dried  till  every  twig  was  like  a  lance,  reached 
out  and  caught  at  his  snow-shoes ;  drooping 
Spruce-boughs,  low  swinging  with  their  weight  of 
snow,  caused  him  to  double  under  or  circle  in  his 
race  against  Blue  Wolf's  Pack. 

All  nature,  animate  and  inanimate,  was  fighting 
for  his  life  —  eager  for  his  blood.     Even  a  sharp 


1J2 


MOOSWA 


■•C|||l»^ 


c 


half-dead  limb,  sticking  out  from  a  Tamarack, 
cut  him  in  the  face,  and  sucked  a  few  drops  of 
the  hot  fluid.  Startled  into  ejaculation,  Francois 
panted  huskily:  "Holy  Mudder,  sabe  me  dis 
time.  I  give  to  de  good  Pere  Lacombe  de  big 
ofl^erin'  for  de  Mission."  And  all  the  time 
swinging  along  with  far-reaching  strides. 

Memory-pictures  of  animals  that  had  stood 
helplessly  at  bay  before  his  merciless  gun  flashed 
through  his  mind.  Once  a  Moose-mother  had 
fronted  him  to  defend  her  two  calves — the  big 
almond  eyes  of  the  heroir  beast  had  pleaded  for 
their  lives.  He  had  not  understood  it  then  ; 
now,  some  way  or  another,  it  came  back  to  him  — 
they  glared  from  the  forest  like  avenging  spirit 
eyes,  as  he  toiled  to  leave  that  Wolf-call  behind. 

The  Shack  was  still  many  miles  away,  for  he 
had  trave-led  far  in  the  fulness  of  his  seasoned 
strength  in  the  Hunt-race  of  the  daytime. 

"  I  got  me  one  c'ance,"  he  muttered  hoarsely. 
"  S'pose  I  get  too  weak  make  fire,  I  dead,  soor." 
A  big  Birch,  in  its  heavy  frieze-coat  of  white  cloth, 
seemed  to  whisper,  "  Just  one  chance  I  " 

Eagerly  Francois  tore  its  resin-oiled  blanket 
from  the  tree,  took  a  match  from  his  firebag, 
snapped  the  sulphur  end  with  his  thumb-nail,  for 
his  clothes  were  saturated  with  fear-damp  perspi- 
ration, and  lighted  the  quick-blazing  Birch.     A 


marack, 
rops  of 
•'raiKjois 
me  dis 
;  de  big 
le    time 

1  stood 
flashed 
her  had 
the  big 
ided  for 
t  then  ; 
)  him  — 
ig  spirit 
jehind. 
,  for  he 
jeasoned 

loarsely. 
i,  soor." 
te  cloth, 

blanket 

firebag, 

-nail,  for 

3  perspi- 

irch.     A 


THE    RUN    OF   THE   WOLVES     173 

clump  of  dead  Red  Willows  furnished  eager 
timber.  How  his  sinewy  arms  wrenched  them 
from  their  rotted  roots.  High  he  piled  the  de- 
fence beacon ;  the  blaze  shot  up,  and  red-tinted 
the  ghost  forns  of  the  silent  trees. 

Gray  shadows  circled  the  outer  rim  of  blazing 
light  —  the  Wolves  were  forming  a  living  stock- 
ade about  him.  Blue  Wolf  placed  the  sentinels 
strategically.  "  Not  too  close,  silly  pups,"  he 
called  warningly  to  two  yearling  grandsons ; 
"  the  Firestick  will  scorch  your  sprouting  mus- 
taches if  you  poke  your  noses  within  reach. 
Remember,  Comrades,"  he  said  to  the  older 
Wolves,  "there  is  no  Kill  — only  the  Blood-fear 
for  this   Man." 

The  sparks  fluttered  waveringly  skyward,  like 
fire-flies  at  play;  the  Willows  snapped  and 
crackled  like  ice  on  a  river  when  the  water  is 
falling.  When  the  light  blazed  high  the  Wolves 
slunk  back  ;  when  there  was  only  a  huge  red  glow 
of  embers,  they  closed  in  again. 

All  night  Fran9ois  toiled,  never  letting  the 
rifle  from  his  grasp.  With  one  hand  and  his 
strong  moccasined  feet  he  crushed  the  dry, 
brittle  Red  Willows,  and  threw  them  on  his 
life-guarding  fire.  No  sleeping;  a  short-paced 
beat  round  and  round  the  safety-light,  and  almost 
incessantly  on  his  trembling  lips  a  crude,  plead- 


174 


MOOSWA 


V'l 


'<4j 


I 


'•^^w., 


ing  prayer  :  "  Holy  Mudder,  dis  time  sabe  Fran- 
9ois.  1  give  de  offerin'  plenty  —  also  what  de 
good  Pries'  say,  I  hear  me." 

*'  Look  at  his  face,  Brothers,"  growled  Blue 
Wolf.  "  Now  thou  hast  seen  the  Man-fear.  Is 
it  not  more  terrible  than  the  Death-look  in  the 
eyes  of  Buck  .?  It  is  not  well  to  kill  Man,  is  it, 
Comrades  ?  " 

"  No  !  "  they  admitted  surlily  —  for  they  were 
hungry. 

"  Come,"  said  Rof,  when  the  bitter  cold 
dawn  hour  —  colder  than  any  of  the  others  — 
warned  them  that  the  light  was  on  its  way, 
"  trot  we  back  on  Mooswa's  trail,  and  if  the 
Man  continues  to  his  Burrow,  then  go  we  our 
path." 

When  the  light  had  grown  stronger  Fran9ois 
peered  about  carefully. 

"  Blessed  Virgin  !  Mos'  Holy  ob  Mudders  !  I 
t'ink  me  dat  prayer  you  hear ;  dat  wolves  is  gone 
soor.  To  de  good  Pere  Lacombe  I  give  me  big 
presen'  for  de  Mission.  I  keep  me  dat  promise 
soor,"  crossing  himself  fervently,  in  confirmation. 

Blue  Wolf  was  saying  to  the  Pack  as  he  trotted 
along  at  their  head :  *'  Only  for  the  promise  to 
Mooswa  the  Hunt-man  would  have  made  a  good 
meal  for  us,  Brothers." 

"  What  are  promises  in  the  Hunger  Year  — 


e  Fran- 
vhat  de 

d  Blue 
sar.  Is 
<:  in  the 

an,  is  it, 

ley  were 

:er  cold 
•thers  — 
its  way, 
1  if  the 
we  our 

Fran9ois 

ders  !  I 
is  gone 
I  me  big 
promise 
rmation. 
e  trotted 
)mise  to 
g  a  good 

Year  — 


HOLY    MUDDEK,    DIS   TIME    SABE    FRA^C01S." 


Si 


THE   RUN   OF   THE   WOLVES     175 

the  Seventh  Year  of  the  Wapoos  ?  "  cried  a  gaunt 
companion,  stopping.     "  Let  us  go  back,  and  — " 

Blue  Wolf  turned  in  a  passion.  *'  Eirst  we 
fight!"  he  yelped,  baring  his  huge  fangs.  "I, 
who  am  leader  here,  and  also  am  in  the  Council 
of  the  Boundaries,  say  the  Man  goes  unharmed." 

The  other  dropped  his  bushy  tail,  moved  side- 
ways a  few  paces,  and  sat  down  i  eekly ;  swaying 
his  head  furtively  from  side  to  side,  avoiding  the 
battle-look  in  Blue  Wolf's  eyes.  Rof  turned  dis- 
dainfully, and  trotted  off  on  their  back  track  ;  the 
Pack  followed. 

"  I  've  saved  this  Man  for  Mooswa's  sake," 
thought  Blue  Wolf. 

"  De  prayer  turn*  back  dat  wolves  soor,"  mut- 
tered the  Breed,  as  hurrying  on  he  reiterated 
his  generous  offering  to  the  Mission.  I:  was 
noon  when  he  swung  into  the  little  log  Shack, 
with  something  in  his  face  which  was  not  there 
before  —  something  new  that  had  come  in  one 
night.  He  did  not  want  to  talk  about  it ;  even 
to  cease  thinking  of  it  were  better ;  besides,  what 
was  the  use  of  frightening  The  Boy. 

"  I  no  get  dat  Moose,"  he  said  curtly,  as  he 
pulled  his  wet  moccasins  off,  cut  some  tobacco, 
mixed  it  with  the  Red  Willow  kinnikinick,  filled 
his  wooden  pipe,  and  lying  down  in  front  of  the 
fire-place  smoked  moodily. 


176 


MOOSWA 


The  Boy  busied  himself  getting  a  meal  ready 
for  his  companion. 

"  By  Goss  !  he  big  Moose,"  continued  the  Half- 
breed,  after  a  time,  when  he  had  emptied  the 
bowl  of  his  pipe ;  "  but  I  lose  de  trail  las'  night. 
S'pose  he  goin*  too  far  t'ro  de  muskeg,  I  can' 
find  him." 

"  Never  mind,  Fran9ois,"  cried  The  Boy, 
"  you  'II  get  another  chance  at  him  before  Win- 
ter 's  over.  Come  and  eat,  you  must  be  hungry 
—  the  hot  tea  will  make  you  forget." 

"  I  s'pose  somebody  put  bad  medicine  for 
me,"  grumbled  the  Breed,  in  a  depressed  mono- 
tone ;  "  mus'  be  de  ole  Nokum  at  Lac  La  Bic'e. 
She  *s  mad  for  me,  but  I  don'  do  not'ing  bad 
for  her."  But  still  nothing  of  his  terrible  ex- 
perience with  the  Wolves.  Why  speak  of  it  ? 
Perhaps  next  day  they  would  be  fifty  miles 
away. 

After  Fran9ois  had  rested  he  said :  "  I  mus'  go 
see  dat  Trap  for  de  Silver  Fox ;  I  t'ink  me  I  catc' 
him  dis  time." 

"  Don't  go  out  again  to-day  - —  you  *re  too 
tired,"  pleaded  Rod. 

"  Mus'  go,"  replied  the  other.  "  S'pose  dat 
Fox  in  de  Trap,  dat  Debil  Carcajou,  or  de  Lynk, 
or  some  odder  Animal,  eat  him  ;  dere  's  no  Rabbit 
now,  an'  dey  's  all  starve." 


eal  ready 

the  Half- 
3tied  the 
as'  night, 
ig,  I  can' 

he     Boy, 

)re  Win- 
e  hungry 

icine  for 
d  mono- 
La  Bic'e. 

t'ing  bad 
-rible  ex- 
ak  of  it  ? 
fty    miles 

[  mils'  go 
Tie  I  catc' 

u  *re    too 

'pose  dat 
de  Lynk, 
lo  Rabbit 


THE    RUN    OK   THE   WOLVES     177 

"  I  '11  go  with  you,  then,"  exclaimed  The 
Boy. 

When  they  came  to  the  Trap,  Fran9ois  stared 
in  amazement.      It  had  been  sprung. 

The  Breed  examined  the  snow  carefully. 

"Jus*  what  I  t'ink  me.  He's  been  catc',  an' 
dat  Lynk  eat  him  all  up.  Only  one  foot  lef ' ; 
see!"  and  he  held  up  the  amputated  black  paw. 
"  Here  's  de  big  trail  of  de  Lynk,  too." 

Dejectedly  they  went  back  to  the  Shack. 

"  Now  1  know  it 's  de  bad  medicine,"  asserted 
Fran9ois.  "  De  Debil  come  in  dat  Moose  for 
lead  me  away,  an'  I  lose  de  Silver  Fox  what  wort' 
two,  t'ree  hun'red  dollar." 

"  The  Lynx  has  had  rather  an  extravagant  blow- 
out," remarked  The  Boy.  "  One  could  go  to 
England,  dine  there  in  great  shape,  and  back 
again  for  the  price  of  his  dinner."  Fran9ois  did 
not  answer.  He  was  certainly  running  in  bad 
luck. 

"  I  t'ink  me  we  pull  out  from  dis  S'ack,"  he 
said  ;  "give  up  de  Marten  Road,  an'  move  down 
to  my  ol'  place  at  Hay  Riber.  Before,  I  keel 
plenty  fur  dere ;  here  I  get  me  not'ing,  only 
plenty   bad   medicine." 

"All  right,  Frangois,  I 'm  willing — anything 
you  say,"  answered  Rod. 

"  I  got  my  ol'   S'ack  down  dere,"  continued 


12 


■Ill; 


c 


178 


MOOSWA 


the  Trapper,  "  an'  we  go  for  dat  place.  To- 
morrow we  pick  up  de  Trap.  De  Black  Fox 
he  's  die,  so  I  s'pose  me  we  don't  want  stop  here. 
I  got  give  little  Pere  Lacombe  some  presen'  for 
de  Mission,  an'  mus'  keel  de  fur  for  dat,  soor." 


e.  To- 
ick  Fox 
op  here, 
isen'  for 
soor." 


CARCAJOU'S    REVENGE 


IN  the  morning  Francois  and  Roderick  started 
with  their  dog-train  to  pick  up  Traps  from 
the  Marten  Road. 

"  S'pose  it 's  better  w'at  I  go  to  de  Ean'ing 
firs',"  Francois  remarked  reflectively,  as  they 
plodded  along  behind  the  dogs  and  carry-all  ; 
"  we  don'  got  plenty  Trap  now,  an'  I  can'  find 
dat  poison  bottle.  Yesterday  I  look,  but  he 's 
gone  soor;  I  put  him  on  de  s'elf,  but  he's  not 
dere  now.  P'r'aps  dat  Whisky-Jack  steal  him, 
for  he  take  de  spoon  some  time  ;  but  anyway 
can'   trap   proper  wit' out  de  poison." 

After  they  had  left  the  Shack  Whisky-Jack 
cleaned  up  the  scraps  that  had  been  thrown  out 
from  breakfast,  and  having  his  crop  full,  started 
through  the  woods  looking  for  a  chance  of  gos- 
sip. He  observed  Carcajou  scuttling  awkwardly 
along  through  the  deep  snow ;  this  was  the  first 
time  Jack  had  seen  him  since  he  had  been  lib- 
erated from  the  Trap. 

"  Hello  !  "  cried  the  Jay  ;  "  able  to  be  about 
agam  ? 


i8o 


MOOSWA 


■'-.■■« 


C 

I" 


Si 


"  Who  's  at  the  Man-shack  ?  "  queried  the 
other  in  answer,  entirely  ignoring  Jack's  personal 
gibe. 

"  Nobody,"  piped  the  Bird  ;  "  left  me  in  charge 
and  went  out  on  their  Marten  Road." 

"  And  the  Dogs,  O  One-in-charge  ?  "  asked 
Carcajou. 

"  Gone  too  ;  are  you  out  for  a  scrap  with  the 
Huskies,  my  bad-tempered  Friend.''" 

"  Were  you  sweet-tempered,  gentle  Bird,  when 
you  burnt  your  toes,  and  scorched  your  gizzard 
with  the  Man-Cub's  fat  pork?  " 

"  Well,  sore  toes  are  enough  to  ruffle  one, 
aren't  they.  Hunchback,  —  Crop-eared  Stealer 
of  Things  ?  " 

"  And  your  Men  Friends  took  the  leg  off  our 
King,"  continued  Wolverine,  ignoring  the  other's 
taunc.  "  The  Red  Widow  is  close  to  an  attack 
of  rabies  with  all  this  worry." 

"  You  're  full  of  stale  news,"  retorted  Jay. 

"  If  they  are  all  away,"  declared  Carcajou, 
"  I  'm  going  to  have  another  peep  at  that  chim- 
ney.    Also  there  are  three  debts  to  be  paid." 

The  Bird  chuckled.  "  Generous  Little  Lieu- 
tenant !  leave  my  account  out.  But  if  you  must 
go  to  the  Shack,  I  '11  keep  watch  and  give  you 
a  call  if  I  see  them  coming  back." 

"  Fat-eating  !    but   I  hate  climbing,"  grunted 


ied    the 
personal 

n  charge 

asked 

with  the 

rd,  when 
*  gizzard 

ffle   one, 
[   Stealer 


y  off  our 
e  other's 
in  attack 


Jay. 

I^arcajou, 
lat  chim- 
aid." 
de  Lieu- 
^ou  must 
give  you 

grunted 


CARCAJOU'S   REVENGE  i8i 

Wolverine,  as  he  struggled  up  the  over-reaching 
log-ends  at  one  corner  of  the  Shack.  "  If  they 
had  only  left  the  door  open  —  I  never  close  the 
door  of  my  Burrow." 

He  went  down  the  chimney  as  though  it  were 
a  ladder,  his  back  braced  against  one  side,  and 
his  strong  curved  claws  holding  in  the  dry  mud 
of  the  other.  Inside  of  the  Shack  he  worked 
with  exceeding  diligence,  deporting  himself  much 
after  the  manner  of  soldiers  looting  a  King's 
palace. 

Three  bags  of  flour  stood  in  a  corner.  "  That 's 
queer  stuff,"  muttered  Carcajou,  ripping  open 
the  canvas.  "  Dry  Eating ! "  and  he  scattered 
it  with  malignant  fury.  He  pattered  up  and 
down  in  it,  rolled  in  it,  and  generally  had  a  pleas- 
ing, dusty  time.  The  white  stuff  got  in  his 
throat  and  made  him  cough  ;  the  tickling  de- 
veloped a  proper  inebriate's  thirst.  Two  zinc 
pails,  full  of  water,  sat  on  a  wooden  bench  ;  the 
choking  Animal  perched  on  the  edge  of  one,  and 
tried  to  drink  ;  but  as  he  stooped  over  the  spread- 
ing top  his  centre  of  gravity  was  disarranged 
somewhat,  and  his  venture  ended  disastrously. 
The  floor  was  clay,  smooth-ironed  by  Francois's 
feet,  so  it  held  the  fluid  like  a  pot,  and,  inci- 
dentally, much  batter  of  Wolverine's  mixing  was 
originated.     He  was  still   thirsty,  and  tried  the 


l82 


MOOSWA 


'i»'f 


If"' 


Other  pail.  That  even  did  not  last  so  long,  for, 
as  he  was  pulling  himself  up,  somewhat  out  of 
temper,  it  tumbled  heedlessly  from  the  bench, 
and  converted  the  Shack-floor  into  a  white,  al- 
kaline-looking lake. 

Then  he  puddled  around  in  batter  which  clung 
to  his  short  legs,  and  stuck  to  his  toe-hairs,  try- 
ing to  get  a  drink  from  little  pools,  but  only  suc- 
ceeding in  getting  something  like  liquid  pancakes. 

The  stuff  worked  into  his  coat,  and  completely 
put  to  flight  any  feelings  of  restraint  he  might 
have  had.  A  cyclone  and  an  earthquake  work- 
ing arm  in  arm  could  not  have  more  efl^ectually 
disarranged  the  internal  economy  of  Francois's 
residence. 

Like  most  Half-breeds  Fran9ois  played  a  con- 
certina ;  and  like  most  of  his  fellow  tribesmen 
he  hung  up  his  things  on  the  bed  or  floor.  It 
was  under  the  bed  that  Carcajou  discovered  the 
instrument,  and  when  he  had  finished  with  it,  it 
might  have  been  put  in  paper  boxes  and  sold 
as  matches.  Two  feather  pillows  provided  him 
with  enthusiastic  occupation  for  a  time  ;  mixed 
with  batter  the  feathers  entirely  lost  their  elas- 
ticity, and  refused  to  float  about  in  the  air.  This 
puzzled  the  marauder — he  could  n't  understand 
it;  for  you  see  he  knew  nothing  of  specific 
gravity. 


CARCAJOU'S   REVENGE 


»«3 


ong,  for, 

out  of 

;    bench, 

'hite,  al- 

ch  clung 
airs,  try- 
)nly  suc- 
ancakes. 
npletely 
e  might 
e  work- 
Fectually 
ran^ois's 

d  a  con- 

ibesmen 

3or.     It 

;red  the 

ith  it,  it 

nd  sold 

ied  him 

mixed 

^ir  elas- 

This 

ierstand 

specific 


A  jug  of  molasses  was  more  rational  —  but  it 
added  to  his  thirst,  also  turned  the  white  coat 
he  had  evolved  from  the  flour-mixture  into  a 
dismal  cofi^ee  colour. 

Great  Animals!  but  he  was  having  a  time. 
Whisky-Jack,  from  his  post  outside,  kept  en- 
couraging him  from  time  to  time,  as  the  din  of 
things  moving  rapidly  in  the  interior  came  to  his 
delighted  ears.  "  Bravo  !  What 's  broken  ?  " 
he  screamed,  when  the  pail  met  with  itsi^downfall. 

The  blankets  dried  the  floor  a  bit  after  in- 
dustrious little  Wolverine  had  hauled  them  up 
and  down  a  few  times.  This  evidently  gave  him 
satisfaction,  for  he  worked  most  energetically. 

Two  sides  of  fat  bacon  reclined  sleepily  under 
the  bed  —  a  mouthful  filled  Carcajou  with  joy. 
Great  Eating  1  but  if  he  had  that  much  food  in 
his  Burrow  he  need  n't  do  a  stroke  of  work  all 
Winter.  He  tried  to  carry  a  side  up  the  chim- 
ney ;  and  got  started  with  it  all  right,  for  an 
iron  bar  had  been  built  across  the  mud  fire-place 
to  hang  pots  on,  which  gave  him  a  foothold  ;  a 
little  higher  up  he  slipped,  and  clattered  down, 
bacon  and  all,  burning  his  feet  in  coals  that  lin- 
gered from  the  morning's  fire.  The  sight  of  dis- 
turbed cinders  floating  from  the  chimney-top 
intimated  to  Jack  what  had  happened,  and  he 
whistled  with  joy. 


1 84 


MOOSWA 


Si 


This  was  an  excuse  for  another  round  of 
demolition.  "  If  I  could  only  open  the  Shack," 
thought  Wolverine.  Though  a  dweller  in  caves, 
yet  he  knew  which  was  the  door,  for  over  its  ill- 
fitting  threshold  came  a  strong  glint  of  light ; 
also  up  and  down  its  length  ran  two  cracks 
through  which  came  more  light.  Most  certainly 
it  was  the  door,  he  decided,  sniffing  at  the  fresh 
air  that  whistled  through  the  openings. 

Close  by  stood  a  box  on  end,  holding  a  wash- 
bowl. Carcajou  climbed  up  on  this,  and  ex- 
amined a  little  iron  thing  that  seemed  to  bear  on 
the  subject.  It  was  somewhat  like  a  Trap  ;  if  he 
could  spring  this  thing,  perhaps  it  had  something 
to  do  with  opening  the  door.  As  he  fumbled  at 
it,  suddenly  the  wind  blew  a  big  square  hole  in 
the  Shack's  side  ;  he  had  lifted  the  latch,  only  he 
did  n't  know  it  was  a  latch,  of  course  —  it  was 
like  a  Trap,  something  to  be  sprung,  that  was  all. 

"By  all  the  Loons  !  "  screamed  Jay ;  "  now 
you  're  all  right  —  what 's  inside  ?  You  /lave 
had  your  revenge,  Carey,  old  Boy,"  he  added, 
as  he  caught  sight  of  his  coffee-coloured  friend. 

Carcajou  paid  no  attention  to  his  volatile  Com- 
rade, for  he  was  busily  engaged  in  gutting  the 
place.  "My  fingers  are  still  sore  from  the  Man's 
Trap,"  he  muttered,  "  but  I  think  I  can  cache 
this  Fat-eating." 


und  of 
Shack," 
n  caves, 
r  its  ill- 
f  light ; 
cracks 
:ertainly 
le  fresh 

a  wash- 
md    ex- 
bear  on 
p;  if  he 
Tiething 
ibled  at 
hole  in 
only  he 
-  it   was 
was  all. 
now 
have 
added, 
lend, 
e  Com- 
ng  the 
:  Man's 
n  cache 


(( 


u 


CARCAJOU'S   REVENGE  185 

"  Fran9ois  will  trail  you,"  declared  the  Bird. 

"  He  may  do  that,"  admitted  Wolverine,  "  but 
he'll  not  find  the  Eating.  Has  he  a  scent-nose 
of  the  Woods  to  see  it  through  many  covers  of 
snow .''  " 

"  This  is  just  lovely  ! "  piped  Jack,  hopping 
about  in  the  dough ;  "  it's  like  the  mud  at  White 
Clay  River.  Butter  ! "  he  screamed  in  delight, 
perching  on  the  edge  of  a  wooden  firkin,  off 
which  his  friend  had  knocked  the  top.  "  I  just 
love  this  stuff — it  puts  a  gloss  on  one's  feathers. 
We  are  having  our  revenge,  are  n't  we,  old 
Plaster-coat  ? " 

"  I  am  —  Whe-e-e-cugh  !  "  cried  the  fat  little 
desperado,  coughing  much  flour  from  his  clogged 
lungs. 

"  I  say.  Hunchback,  would  n't  you  like  to  be 
a  Man,  and  have  all  these  things  to  eat,  without 
the  eternal  worry  of  stealing  them  ?  I  should  — 
I  'd  be  eating  butter  all  the  time ;  "  and  Jack 
drove  his  beak  with  great  rapidity  into  the  firkin's 
yellow  contents. 

"  I  '11  return  in  a  minute  after  I  've  cached 
this,"  said  Wolverine,  as  he  backed  out  of  the 
Shack  dragging  a  big  piece  of  bacon. 

"Oh,  my  strong  Friend  of  much  Brain,  please 
cache  this  wooden-thing  of  Yellow-eating  for 
me,"    pleaded    Jay,   when    Carcajou   reappeared. 


i86 


MOOSWA 


If...  '*< 

I" 


iflp'j 


"  By  the  Year  of  Famine  !  but  i"-  *s  delicious  —  it 
must  be  great  for  a  Singer's  throat.  Did  1  ever 
tell  you  how  I  was  sold  once  at  Wapiscaw  over  a 
bit  of  butter  ?  " 

"No,  my  guzzling  Friend  —  nor  would  you 
now,  if  you  did  n't  want  me  to  do  a  favour," 
grunted  the  industrious  toiler,  rolling  Whisky- 
Jack's  tub   of  butter  off  into   the   Forest. 

"  Well,  it  was  this  way  —  I  saw  a  cake  of 
this  Yellow-eating  in  the  Factor's  Shack ;  you 
know  the  square  holes  they  leave  for  light — it 
was  in  one  of  those.  I  swooped  down  and  tried 
to  drive  my  beak  into  it  —  " 

"  Like  the  hot  pork,"  interrupted  the  tub- 
roller. 

"  Never  mind,  Carey,  old  Boy, —  let  by-gones 
be  by-gones  —  I  dove  my  beak  fair  at  the  Yel- 
low Thing,  and,  would  you  believe  it,  nearly 
broke  my  neck  against  something  hard  which  was 
between  me  and  the  Eating —  I  couldn't  see  it, 
though." 

"  Ha,  ha,  he-e-e-e-!  "  laughed  Carcajou.  "  You 
bone-headed  Bird — that  was  glass —  Man's 
glass  —  they  put  it  in  those  holes  to  keep  the  frost, 
Whisky-Jacks,  and  other  evil  things  out  —  I  know 
what  it  is.  There  !  now  your  Yellow-eating  is 
safe  —  Fran9ois  won't  find  it,"  he  added,  pushing 
snow  against  the  log  under  which  lay  the  hidden 


CARCAJOJ'S    REVENGE  187 


iOUS It 

d  1  ever 
w  over  a 

mid   you 

favour," 

Whisky- 

cake  of 
ick  ;  you 
light— it 

and  tried 

the   tub- 

by-gones 
the  Yel- 
it,  nearly 
which  was 
n't  see  it, 

lu.  "You 
—  Man's 
the  frost, 
—  I  know 
^-eating  is 
i,  pushing 
le  hidden 


firkin.  "  I  wish  you  would  fly  and  bring  Rof 
and  some  of  the  other  Fellows  —  tell  them  I  'm 
giving  a  Feast-dance  ;  make  them  hurry  up,  for 
the  Men  will  be  back  before  long." 

"  Oh,  Carey,  they  '11  guzzle  my  butter,"  re- 
plied the  Bird. 

"They  won't  find  it.  Tell  the  Red  Widow  to 
come  and  get  a  piece  of  this  Fat-eating  for  the 
King.  Fly  like  the  wind.  1  '11  have  everything 
out  of  the  Shack,  and  you  must  tell  Blue  Wolf 
I  and  the  others  to  come  and  help  me  carry  it  to 

the  Meeting  Place." 

"  Look  here,  Giver-of-the- Feast,"  said  Jack, 
struck  by  a  new  thought,  "  what  about  The  Boy  } 
If  you  take  all  the  food,  he'll  starve  before  they 
get  to  the  Landing  for  more.  We  must  remem- 
ber our  promise  to  Mooswa." 

"That's  so,"  replied  Carcajou;  "I'll  leave 
enough  Fish  and  Dry-eating  to  carry  them  out 
of  the  Boundaries;  strange,  though,  that  you  should 
have  thought  of  The  Boy  —  hast  forgotten  the 
hot  pork  ?  " 

"  Neither  have  I  forgotten  my  word  to 
Mooswa,"  said  the  Bird,  as  he  flew  swiftly  to  sum- 
mon the  others  to  the  feast. 

Wolverine  rounded  up  his  day's  work  by 
caching  the  granite-ware  dishes  and  rolling  an 
iron  pot  down  the  bank,  and  into  the  water  hole. 


i88 


MOOSWA 


.«,,... 


c 


I9i| 


^^.^ 


At  Carcajou  s  pot-latch  there  was  rare  hilarity. 

"  I  'm  proud  of  you,  old  Cunning,"  Blue 
Wolf  said,  patronizingly,  as  he  sat  with  distended 
stomach  licking  the  fat  from  his  wire-haired 
mustache.  "  If  anything  should  happen  Black 
King,  which  Wicsahkcchack  forbid  !  we  c^uld  not 
do  better  than  make  you  our  next  Ruler.  I 
have  made  a  few  good  steals  in  my  time,  but 
never  anything  like  this.  To  be  able  to  give  a 
Tea  Dance  of  this  sort !  Ghur-r-r !  "  he  gurgled 
in  satisfaction,  and  rubbed  his  head  and  neck  along 
Wolverine's  plump  side  affectionately,  as  a  dog 
caresses  a  man's  leg. 

"  Not  only  wise,  but  so  generous ! "  Lynx 
said,  oilily,  for  he  too  had  eaten  of  the  salted  fat. 
"  To  remember  one's  Friends  in  the  Day  of 
Plenty  is  truly  noble  ;  I  shall  never  forget  this 
kind  invitation." 

"Cheek!"  muttered  Jack,  for  he  had  not  in- 
vited Pisew  at  all  —  had  purposely  left  him  out 
of  the  general  call ;  but  Lynx,  always  craftily 
suspicious,  seeing  a  movement  on  among  some 
of  the  Animals,  had  followed  up  and  discovered 
the  barbecue. 

"  I  have  n't  eaten  a  meal  like  this  since  the 
year  before  the  Big  Fire,"  murmured  the  Red 
Widow,  reminlscently.  "  Easy  Catching  !  but  the 
Birds  were  thick  that  year  —  and   fat  and  lazy. 


■I 


CARCAJOU'S   REVENGE 


189 


re  hilarity. 


"g' 


Blu( 


1  distended 
wire-haired 
)pen   Black 

2  c^uld  not 
Ruler.     I 

'  time,  but 

1  to  give  a 
he  gurgled 
neck  along 
,  as  a  dog 

IS  ! "    Lynx 

2  salted  fat. 
le   Day    of 

forget  this 

lad  not  in- 
ft  him  out 
lys  craftily 
nong  some 
discovered 

5  since  the 
d  the  Red 
ng !  but  the 
t  and  lazy. 


*Crouk,  Crouk  ! '  they'd  say,  when  one  walked 
politely  with  gentle  tread  amongst  them,  stretch 
their  heads  up,  and  patter  a  little  out  of  the  way 
with  their  short,  feathered  legs  —  actually  not  at- 
tempt to  fly.  But  I  never  expect  to  see  u  year  like 
that  again,"  she  sighed,  regretfully.  "  Excuse  me 
for  mentioning  it;  but  this  fulness  in  my  stomach 
has  suggested  the  general  condition  of  that  time. 
The  King  will  be  delighted  to  have  this  nice,  fat 
back-piece  that  I  'm  taking  home  to  him.  He 
did  well  to  make  you  Lieutenant,  Carcajou  —  you 
are  a  brainy  Boundary  Dweller.  By  my  family 
crest,  the  White  Spot  at  the  end  of  my  Tail,  I  '11 
never  forget  this  kindness." 

"  Hear,  hear  !  "  cried  Whisky-Jack  ;  "  you 
make  the  snub-nosed  Robber  blush.  I  had  no 
idea  how  popular  you  were.  Crop-ear.  I  've  a 
notion  to  bring  out  the  —  Goodness  !  "  he  mut- 
tered to  himself;  "  I  nearly  gave  it  away. 
Friendship  is  friendship,  but  butter  is  butter, 
ar:d  harder  to  get." 

^'  Bring  out  what?  "  asked  Pisew. 

'*  The  Castoreum,  Prying-Cat,"  glibly  an- 
swered Jay,  cocking  his  head  down  and  sticking 
out  his  tongue  at  Lynx. 

"  I  remember  the  year  you  speak  of.  Good 
Widow ;  I  also  was  fat  that  Fall,"  said  Marten. 

"  So  was  I,"  declared  Wuchak,  the   Fisher  — 


190 


MOOSWA 


I" 


"  never  had  to  climb  a  tree  to  get  my  dinner  for 
months." 

"  It  was  the  Fifth  Year  of  the  Wapoos," 
enjoined  Pisevv,  *'  and  we  Animal  Eaters  were 
all  fat.  Why,  my  paw  was  the  size  of  Panther's 
—  I  took  great  pride  in  the  trail  I  left." 

"Extraordinary  taste!"  remarked  Jack,  "to 
feel  proud  of  your  big  feet.  Now,  if  in  the  Year 
of  Plenty  you  had  run  a  little  to  brain  —  " 

•^  Never  mind.  Jack,"  interrupted  Blue  Wolf, 
good-humouredly,  for  the  feast-fulness  made  him 
well  disposed  toward  all  creatures,  "  we  can't  all 
be  as  smart  as  you  are,  you  know.  Tired  jaws  ! 
I  believe  I  don't  care  for  any  dessert,"  he  con- 
tinued, sniffing  superciliously  at  a  rib -bone  Wol- 
verine pushed  toward  him.  But  he  picked  it 
up,  broke  it  in  two  with  one  clamp  of  his  vise- 
like teeth,  and  swallowed  the  knuckle  end. 
"  Even  if  one  is  full,"  he  remarked,  giving  a 
little  gulp  as  it  hitched  in  his  throat,  "a  morsel 
of  bone  or  something  at  the  finish  of  the  meal 
seems  to  top  it  off,  and  aids  digestion." 

"  I  take  mine  just  as  it  comes,  bone  and  meat 
together,"  declared  Otter. 

"  So  do  I,"  affirmed  Mink,  for  they  had  been 
given  a  great  ration  of  Fish  as  their  share  of  the 
banquet.  Carcajou  had  purloined  it  from  the 
Shack  with  his  other  loot. 


•;  I 


CARCAJOU'S    REVENGE  191 


llnner  for 

Wapoos," 

ters    were 

Panther's 
» 

Jack,  "to 

1  the  Year 
»» 

Jlue  Wolf, 
made  him 
e  can't  all 
ired  jaws  ! 
,"  he  con- 
bone  Wol- 
picked  it 
>f  his  vise- 
ickle  end. 
giving  a 
"  a  morsel 

the   meal 

»» 
n. 

;  and  meat 

had  been 
lare  of  the 
from    the 


"  I  must  say  that  I  like  fresh  Fish  better  than 
dried,"  declared  Nekik  to  his  companion,  Mink  ; 
"  but  with  the  streams  almost  frozen  to  the 
bottom,  and  the  stupid  Tail-swimmers  buried  in 
the  mud,  one  cannot  be  too  thankful  for  any- 
thing in  the  way  of  Iviting.  The  wealthiest  one 
in  all  the  Boundaries  is  old  Umisk,  the  Beaver; 
he's  got  miles  on  miles  of  food  that  can't  run 
away  from  him." 

"Oh,  I  never  could  stand  a  vegetarian  diet," 
grunted  Carcajou.  "  I  do  eat  Berries  and  Roots 
when  Meat  is  scarce,  but,  taking  it  all  round, 
you  '11  find  that  the  brainiest,  cleverest,  most 
active  Fellows  in  the  Boundaries  are  the  Flesh- 
eaters.  Look  at  old  Mooswa  —  good  enough 
Chap ;  big  and  strong,  too,  in  a  way,  but  Safe- 
trails!  what  can  he  do?  Nothing  but  trot,  trot, 
trot,  and  try  to  rustle  that  big  head-gear  of  his 
through  the  bush.  Did  you  ever  see  a  Flesh- 
eater  have  to  run  around  with  a  small  horn-forest 
on  his  head  in  the  way  of  protection  ?  Never  ! 
they  don't  run  to  horns  —  they  run  to  brains." 

"And  teeth,"  added  Blue  Wolf,  curling  his 
upper  lip  and  baring  ivory  fangs  the  length 
of  a  man's  finger  to  the  admiring  gaze  of  his 
friends. 

"  I  eat  Meat,"  chirped  Whisky-Jack,  "  and  I 
don't  run  to  horns  or  teeth  either,  so  it  must  all 


192 


MOOSWA 


go  to  brains,  I  suppose.  Lucky  for  you  fellows, 
too." 

"  No,  Wise  Bird,"  began  Lynx,"  you  don't  need 
horns  or  teeth  to  defend  yourself;  your  tongue, 
like  Sikak's  tail,  keeps  everybody  away." 

"  Let 's  go  home,"  grunted  Wolverine  ;  "  I  'm 
so  full   I  can  hardly  walk." 

"  I  Ml  give  you  a  ride  on  my  back,  generous 
Benefactor,"  smirked  Fisew. 

"  He  thinks  you  have  cached  some  of  the 
bacon,"  sneered  Jack  ;  "  he'll  be  full  of  gratitude 
while  the  pork  lasts." 

Soon  the  Boundaries  were  silent,  for  full- 
stomached  animals  sleep  well. 

While  there  was  feasting  in  the  Boundaries 
there  was  much  desolation  in  the  Shack.  Fran9ois 
and  The  Boy  had  returned  late  to  their  wrecked 
home,  and  the  Trapper's  speech  when  he  saw 
the  debris,  was  something  of  wondrous  entangle- 
ment, for  an  excited  French  Hi.lf-breed  has  a 
vocabulary  all  his  own,  and  our  i/iend  was  ex- 
cited in  the  superlative  degree.  He  knew  it  was 
Carcajou  who  had  robbed  him,  for  there  were 
plaster  casts  of  his  brazen  foot  all  over  the  mortar- 
like floor. 

"  We  can't  go  to  de  new  trap-place  dis  way," 
the  Half-breed  said ;  "  we  don'  got  no  grub,  de 
dis'  he  's  gone,  an'  de  poison,  an'  it  jes'  look  like 


I  fellows, 

on't  need 
r  tongue, 

e  ;  "  I  'm 

generous 

e   of  the 
gratitude 

for    fuU- 

loundaries 
Francois 
r  wrecked 
n  he  saw 
entangle- 
;ed  has  a 
d  was  ex- 
lew  it  was 
lere  were 
le  mortar- 


CARCAJOU'S   REVENGE  lyj 

de  Debil  he  's  put  bad  Medicine  on  us  himself. 
You  stay  here  one  week  alone  if  I  go  me  de 
Lan'ing  ? "  he  asked  Rod.  "  I  mus'  get  de 
flour,  more  bacon,  some  trap,  an*  de  strykeen. 
1  take  me  de  dog-train  for  bring  de  grub  stake. 
You  jes'  stop  on  de  S'ack,  an'  when  1  come  back 
we  go  down  to  Hay  Riber." 

It  was  late  enough  when  Fran9ois  fell  into  a 
fitful  troubled  slumber,  for  the  occasion  demanded 
much  recrimination  against  animals  in  general, 
and  Carcajou  in  particular. 

Whatever  chance  Fran9ois  might  have  had  of 
discovering  Carcajou's  cache  next  morning,  was 
that  night  utterly  destroyed  by  a  fall  of  snow. 


13 


dis  way," 
grub,  de 
look  like 


PISEW   STEALS   THE    BOY'S    FOOD 


t^'' 


m 


•'■'t-^i. 


IN  the  morning,  Fran9ois,  taking  his  loaded 
snake-whip,  hammered  the  Huskie  dogs 
into  a  submission  sufficient  to  permit  of  their 
being  harnessed  ;  put  a  meagre  ration  for  four 
days  in  the  carryall,  tied  on  his  snow-shoes,  and 
said  to  Roderick  :  "  I  go  for  pull  out  now.  Boy  ; 
I  s'pose  t'ree  day  I  make  me  de  Lan'ing.  I 
stop  dere  one  day,  hit  de  back-trail  den,  an'  come 
de  S'ack  here  wid  de  grub  stake  in  fo'r  more. 
You  got  grub  lef  for  dat  long,  soor.  Bes'  not 
go  far  from  de  S'ack  ;  de  Blue  Wolf  he  migh' 
come  roun'  dis  side  wit'  hes  Pack  —  bes'  stick 
close  de  S'ack." 

Then  he  slipped  down  the  long-terraced  river- 
bank  with  his  train,  and  started  up  the  avenue  of 
its  broad  bosom  toward  The  Landing. 

With  rather  a  dreary  feeling  of  lonesomeness 
Rod  watched  him  disappear  around  the  first 
long.  Spruce-covered  point,  then  went  back  into 
the  Shack  and  whistled  to  keep  the  mercury  of 
his  spirits  from  congealing. 


FOOD 

[lis  loaded 
skie  dogs 
it  of  their 
n  for  four 
-shoes,  and 
now,  Boy  ; 
.an'ing.  I 
1,  an'  come 
fo'r  more. 
Bes'  not 
he  migh' 
bes'  stick 

raced  river- 
avenue  ot 

esomeness 
the    first 
back  into 
nercury  of 


"I   GO  FOR   PULL  OUT   ^0W,  BOY.' 


( 


1'*^%*, 


( 

t 

2 
C 

e 

F 

n 

I 
n 
1 


PISEW  STEALS  THE  BOY'S  FOOD    195 

Other  eyes  had  seen  Fran9ois  wind  around  the 
first  turn  that  shut  him  out  from  Rod's  vision  : 
Blue  Wolf's  e)-.s ;  the  little  bead  eyes  of  Car- 
cajou ;  the  shifting,  treacherous,  cat-like  orbs  of 
Pisevv,  the  Lynx.  Mooswa's  big  almond  eyes 
blinked  solemnly  from  a  thicket  of  willow  that 
lined  the  river  bank. 

"I  wonder  if  he'll  bring  the  same  Huskies 
back  in  his  train  ?  "  said  Blue  Wolf,  as  they 
returned  through  the  Boundaries  together. 

"  I  should  think  he  would,"  ventured  Mooswa. 

"  Don't  know  about  that,"  continued  Rof, 
"  these  Breeds  have  no  affection  for  their  Dogs, 
nor  anything  else  but  their  own  Man-Cubs. 
They  do  like  them,  I  must  say.  Why,  I  've 
heard  one  of  them,  a  big,  rough  Man  he  was  too, 
cry  every  night  for  Moons  because  of  the  death 
of  his  Cub.  He  was  as  savage  as  any  Wolf, 
though,  for  he  killed  another  Man  in  a  fight  just 
at  that  time,  and  thought  i»o  more  of  it  than  I 
did  over  killing  a  Sheep  at  Lac  La  Biche.  But 
every  night  he  howled,  and  moaned,  and  whim- 
pered for  his  lost  Cub,  just  as  a  Mother  Wolf 
might  when  her  young  are  trapped,  or  stricken 
with  the  breath  of  the  Firestick,  or  killed  in  a 
Pack-riot.  Yes,  they  're  queer,  the  Men,"  he 
mused  in  a  low  growl.  "  When  Francois  goes  to 
The  Landing,  if  one  of  the  other  Breeds  stumps 


196 


MOOSWA 


V: 

I"* 


him    for    a    trade,    he'll    swap    off    the    whole 


rain. 


"  I  'm  sure  he  'II  stick  to  Marsh  Maid,"  de- 
clared Pisew ;  "  she  '11  be  back  again  all  right, 
Brother  Rof."  Blue  Wolf  looked  sheepishly  at 
Mooswa.  What  a  devil  this  Lynx  was  to  read 
his  thoughts  like  that. 

"  I  hope  nothing  will  happen  Francois,  for  the 
sake  of  The  Boy,"  wheezed  Mooswa.  "  These 
Breed  Men  also  lurget  everything  when  the  fire- 
water, that  makes  them  like  mad  Bulls,  is  in 
camp ;  it  is  always  at  The  Landing  too,"  he  mut- 
tered, despondently.  "  When  I  was  a  Calf  at  the 
Fort,  I  heard  the  old  Factor  say  —  I  think  I  've 
told  you  about  that  time  —  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  interrupted  Carcajou  impatiently, 
for  he  was  a  quick-thinking  little  Animal,  "  what 
did  the  Factor  say  about  these  Breed  Men  ?  " 

*'  I  'm  coming  to  that,"  asserted  Mooswa, 
ponderously.  "  It  was  at  the  time  I  was  a  Calf 
in  the  Fort  Corral,  and  the  Factor,  who  was  my 
Boy's  father,  said  that  a  Breed  would  sell  his 
Soul  for  a  gallon  of  this  Devil-water  that  puts 
madness  in  their  blood." 

"  What 's  a  Soul  ?  "  asked  Carcajou.  "  I 
wonder  if  I  smashed  Fran9ois's  in  the  Shack." 

"  I    don't    know,"    answered    Mooswa ; 
something  Man  has,  but  which  we  have  n't 


"it  s 
-it's 


I'M 


the    whole 

vlaid,"  de- 
all    right, 
eepishly  at 
as  to  read 

dIs,  for  the 
.  "  These 
;n  the  fire- 
Julls,  is  in 
D,"  he  mut- 
Calf  at  the 
think  I  've 

mpatiently, 
mal,  "  what 
Men  ?  " 

Mooswa, 
was  a  Calf 
ho  was  my 
aid  sell  his 
r  that  puts 


cc 


ajou.       "  I 
he  Shack." 

swa  ;  "  it 's 
-en't  —  it's 


PISEW  STEALS  THE  BCi'S  FOOD    197 

the  thing  that  looks  out  of  their  eyes  and  makes 
us  all  turn  our  heads  away.  Even  Rof  there, 
who  stands  up  against  Cougar  without  flinching, 
drops  his  head  when  Man  looks  at  him  —  is  that 
not  so,  brave  Comrade  ?  " 

"  It  is,"  answered  Blue  Wolf,  dragging  his  tail 
a  little. 

"  And  a  Breed  will  trade  this  thing  for  fire- 
water?" queried  Carcajou. 

"  So  the  Factor  said,"  answered  the  Moose. 

"  I  would  n't  if  I  had  it,"  declared  Wolverine 
—  "  not  even  for  the  Fat-eating,  and  that  is  good 
for  one.  Was  it  that  which  made  Wiesahkechack 
King  of  Men  and  Animals,  and  everything, 
when  he  was  here  —  this  Soul  thing  ?  "  he  asked 
pantingly,  for  the  easy  stride  of  his  long-legged 
comrades  made  his  lungs  pump  fast. 

"  I  suppose  so,"  replied  Mooswa ;  "  but  if 
Francois  gets  fire-water  at  The  Landing,  I  'm 
afraid  it  will  be  ill  with  The  Boy.  But,  Comrades, 
you  all  remember  your  oath  to  me  and  the  King, 
that  for  the  Man-Cub  shall  be  our  help,  and  our 
care,  and  not  the  blood-feud  that  is  against  Man, 
because  of  his  killing." 

I  remember,"  cried  Blue  Wolf. 
And  I,"  answered  Pisew. 

"  I  never  forget  anything,"  declared  Carcajou. 
"  When  my  paws  ached  because  of  Fran9ois,  I 


(( 


(C 


198 


MOOSWA 


c 


1*1 


'  'Jfl 


l-'t^a, 


'*>i% 


laid  up  hate  against  him ;  and  when  Black  King's 
leg  was  lost  because  of  this  evil  Man's  Trap 
the  hate  grew  stronger;  but  by  the  l^ais  v>n 
my  Flanks  do  I  bear  not  hate  against  The  Boy, 
and  bear  the  promise  given  to  you,  Mooswa." 

"  I  '11  carry  you  for  a  short  trail,  Lieutenant," 
said  Blue  Wolf,  stopping  beside  Wolverine  ;  "  the 
Fat-eating  has  put  new  strength  In  my  bones  — 
jump  up  on  my  back.  Your  brains  are  nimbler 
than  ours,  but  your  short  legs  can't  get  over  the 
deep  snow  so  fast." 

"Been  to  see  him  off,  eh?"  piped  Whisky- 
Jack  cheerily,  fluttering  up.  "  1  heard  him  tell 
The  Boy  they  'd  go  down  to  Hay  River  when 
he  comes  back  from  The  Landing ;  but  how  did 
you  Fellows  know  he  was  leav^ing  this  morning?  " 

"  Rof  got  It  from  his  Huskie  sweetheart,"  said 
Lynx.  "  The  Dogs  were  tied  up  last  night,  and 
the  carryall  outfit  was  lying  ready  at  the  door  — 
that  meant  hitting  the  trail  early  this  morning." 

"  Has  the  Man-Cub  got  Eating  enough  to  last 
against  Fran9ois's  return,  Jack  ?  "  asked  Bull 
Moose,  solicitously. 

"  A  dozen  White  Fish,  a  little  flour,  and  some 
tea." 

"  That  will  keep  the  stomach-ache  awa}'-,  if  the 
Breed  comes  back  quickly,"  affirmed  Mooswa. 

Pisew  cocked  his  Hair-plumed  ears  hungrily  at 


PISEW  STEALS  THE  BOY'S  FOOD     i 


99 


the  mention  of  Fish  ;  and  the  thief-thought  that 
was  always  in  his  heart  kept  whimpering,  "  Fish  ! 
Ficih;  Fish  that  is  in  the  Shack— The  Boy's 
Fish  !  "  The  woods  were  so  bare,  too.  It  was  the 
Seventh  Year,  the  Famine  Year,  and  a  chance  of 
eating  came  only  at  long  intervals.  Carcajou  had 
robbed  the  Shack,  and  it  had  been  accounted 
clever  —  all  the  Flesh  Eaters  had  feasted  merrily 
off  the  loot.  Why  should  he  not  also  steal  the 
twelve  Fish  ?  But  he  was  not  like  Carcajou,  a 
feast-giver,  an  Animal  to  make  himself  popular  by 
great  gifts ;  if  he  stole  the  Fish  he  would  cache 
them,  and  the  eating  would  round  up  his  lean 
stomach. 

"  Carrier  of  Messages,"  began  Mooswa,  ad- 
dressing Whisky-Jack,  "  thy  part  of  the  Oath 
Promise  is  watching  over  The  Boy.  If  aught 
goes  wrong,  bring  thou  the  news." 

"Very  well,  old  Sober-sides,"  answered  Jay, 
saucily.  "  I  '11  come  and  sit  on  your  horns  that 
have  so  many  beautifu.  roosts  for  me,  and  whisper 
each  day  into  your  ear,  that  is  big  enough  to  hold 
my  nest,  all  that  happens  at  the  Shack  !  " 

"He'll  keep  you  busy.  Mooswa,"  smirked 
Pisew. 

"  Mocswa  has  time  to  spare  for  his  Friends," 
answered  Jack,  "  because  he  eats  an  honest  dinner. 
You,  Bob-tail,  are  so  busy  with  your  thieving  and 


200 


MOOSWA 


Si 


C 


lying-in-wait  for  somebody's  children  to  eat,  that 
you  have  no  time  for  honest  talk." 

"  Here 's  your  path,  Carcajou,"  cried  Blue 
Wolf,  stopping  while  Wolvenne  jumped  down. 
"  I  'm  going  on  to  see  how  Black  King  is." 

"  Last  night  a  strong  wind  laid  many  acres  of 
Birch  Trees  on  their  backs,  two  hours'  swift  trot 
from  here —  I'm  going  there  for  my  dinner,"  de- 
clared the  Moose;  "it  will  be  fine  feeding.  It 
is  a  pity  you  Chaps  are  n't  vegetarians ;  the  Blood 
Fever  must  be  awful  —  killing,  killing,  killing,  — 
it's  dreadful!"  he  wheezed,  turning  to  the  left 
and  striding  away  through  the  forest. 

"  I  '11  go  and  see  Black  King  too,"  exclaimed 
Whisky-Jack. 

"  I  'm  off  to  the  muskeg  to  hunt  Mice,"  an- 
nounced Pisew  ;  "  the  Famine  Year  brings  one 
pretty  low." 

"Your  Father  must  have  been  born  in  a  Famine 
Year,"  suggested  Jack,  "  and  you  inherited  the 
depravity  from  him." 

Lynx  snarled  disagreeably,  and  as  he  slunk  cat- 
like through  the  woods,  spat  in  contemptuous 
anger.  "Jack  has  gone  to  the  King's  Burrow,"  he 
muttered ;  "  I  '11  have  a  look  at  The  Boy's  Shack. 
I  wonder  where  he  keeps  that  Fish,  and  if  he 
leaves  the  d  or  open  at  all.  Perhaps  when  he 
goes  down  to  the  rivei  for  water  —  ah,  yes.  Cubs 


PISEW  STEALS  THE  BOY'S  FOOD    201 


0  eat,  that 

ried    Blue 

3ed  down. 

»» 

;  IS. 

ly  acres  of 
swift  trot 
nner,"  de- 
eding. It 
the  Blood 
killing,  — 
to  the  left 

exclaimed 

Vlice,"  an- 
)rings  one 

1  a  Famine 
erited  the 

slunk  cat- 
:emptuous 
irrow,"  he 
^'s  Shack, 
ind  if  he 
when  he 
^es,  Cubs 


and  Kittens  are  all  careless  —  even  the  Man-Cub 
will  not  be  wise,  I  think.  Now,  so  soon,  the 
pittance  of  food  1  had  from  that  thief.  Carca- 
jou, has  melted  in  my  stomach,  and  the  walls  are 
collapsing  again.  1  wonder  where  the  hump- 
backed Lieutenant  cached  the  rest  of  his  stolen 
Fat-eating." 

Thus  treacherously  planning,  Lynx  stealthily 
circled  to  the  Shack,  lay  down  behind  a  Cotton- 
wood log  fifty  feet  away,  and  watched  with  a  rav- 
enous look  in  his  big  round  eyes.  Presently  he 
saw  Rod  open  the  door,  look  across  the  waste  of 
snow,  stretch  his  arms  over  his  head  wearily,  turn 
back  into  the  Shack,  reappear  with  two  metal  pails 
in  one  hand  and  an  axe  in  the  other,  and  pass 
from  view  over  the  steep  river  bank. 

With  a  swift,  noiseless  rush  the  yellow-gray 
thief  darted  into  the  building.  His  keen  nose 
pointed  out  the  dried  White  Fish  lying  on  a  box 
in  the  corner.  Stretching  his  jaws  to  their  ut- 
most width,  he  seized  four  or  five  and  bounded 
into  the  thick  bush  with  them.  Two  hundred 
paces  from  the  clearing  Pisew  dropped  his  booty 
behind  a  fallen  tree.  "  I  '11  have  time  for  the 
others,"  he  snarled,  pulling  a  white  covering  over 
the  fish  with  his  huge  paw. 

As  he  stole  back  again,  a  sound  of  ice-chopping 
came  to  his  ears.    "Plenty  of  time,"  he  muttered. 


202 


MOOSWA 


•'*'*H 


and  once  more  his  jaws  were  laden  with  The 
Boy's  provision.  In  his  eagerness  to  take  them 
all,  two  fish  slipped  to  the  floor;  Pisew  be- 
came frightened,  and  bolted  with  those  he  had 
in  his  mouth.  "  I  can't  go  back  any  more,"  he 
thought,  as  he  rushed  away  ;  "  but  1  've  done  well, 
I  've  done  very  well." 

The  Boy  returned  with  the  water,  took  his  axe 
and  cut  some  wood.  He  did  not  miss  the  fish. 
Pisew  carried  his  stolen  goods  away  and  cached 
them. 

That  night  Whisky-Jack,  sitting  on  his  perch 
under  the  extended  end  of  the  roof,  heard  some- 
thing that  gave  him  a  start.  Rod  had  discovered 
the  loss  of  his  Fish. 

"  My  God  !  this  is  serious,"  the  Bird  heard  him 
say.  "  Two  fish  and  a  handful  of  flour  for  ten 
days'  food  —  perhaps  longer.  This  is  terrible. 
It 's  that  Devil  of  the  Woods,  Carcajou,  who  has 
robbed  me,  I  suppose  —  he  stole  the  bacon  be- 
fore. If  I  only  could  get  a  chance  at  him  with  a 
rifle,  I  'd  settle  his  thieving  life." 

The  misery  in  The  Boy's  voice  touched 
Whisky-Jack. 

"  Pisew  has  done  this  evil  thing,"  he  chirped  to 
himself.  "  If  he  has,  he  has  broken  his  oath  of 
the  Boy-care." 


THE    PUNISHING    OF    PISEW 


e    touched 


IN  the  morning  Whisky-Jack  flew  early  to  the 
home  of  Black   King,  and  told  him  of  the 
fish-stealing. 

•*  Yes,"  affirmed  the  Red  Widow,  "  it  was 
Pisew.  His  father  before  him  was  a  Traitor  a?id 
a  Thief;  they  were  always  a  mean,  low  lot.  And 
was  n't  this  Man-Cub  good  and  kind  to  my  Babe, 
Stripes,  when  that  brute  of  a  Huskie  Dog  attacked 
him?" 

"  Yes,  Good  Dame,"  affirmed  the  Bird  ;  "  but 
for  this  Man-Cub  your  Pup  would  have  lined 
the  stomach  of  a  Train  Dog  —  now  he  may  live 
to  line  the  cloak  of  some  Man-woman  —  that 
is,  if  Francois  catches  him.  But  what  shall  be 
done  to  this  breaker  of  Boundary  Laws  and 
Sneak-thief,  Pisew,  Your  Majesty  ?  " 

"  Summon  Carcajou,  Mooswa,  Blue  Wolf,  and 
others  of  the  Council,  my  good  Messenger," 
commanded  the  King.  "  There  is  no  fear  of 
the  trail  now,  for  Fran9ois  is  gone,  and  The  Boy 
hunts  not." 


204 


MOOSWA 


( 


In. 


til 


When  they  had  gathered,  Whisky-Jack  again 
told  of  what  had  been  done. 

"  It  is  Pisew,  of  a  certainty,"  cried  Carcajou. 

"  Yes,  it  is  that  Traitor,"  concurred  Rof,  with 
a  growl. 

"  I  could  hardly  believe  any  Animal  capable 
of  such  meanness,"  sighed  Bull  Moose ;  "  we 
must  investigate.      If  it  be  true  —  " 

"  Yes,  if  it  prove  true  !  "  snapped  Carcajou. 

"  Uhr-r-r,  if  this  thing  be  true  — !"  growled 
Blue  Wolf,  and  there  was  a  perceptible  gleam  of 
white  as  his  lip  curled  with  terrible  emphasis. 

"Go  and  look!"  commanded  Black  King; 
"  the  snow  tells  no  false  tales ;  the  Thief  will 
have  written  with  his  feet  that  which  his  tongue 
will  lie  to  conceal." 

The  vigilants  proceeded  to  the  scene  of  Pisew's 
greedy  outrage.  "  I  thought  so,"  said  Carcajou, 
examining  the  ground  minutely. 

"  Here  he  hid  the  stuff,"  cried  Rof,  from  be- 
hind a  fallen  tree.  "  That  odour  is  Dried  Fish  ; 
and  this  —  bah  !  it 's  worse  —  it  *s  the  foul  smell 
of  our  Castoreum-loving  Friend,  Pisew ; "  and  he 
cnWed  his  nose  disdainfully  in  the  half-muffled 
tracks  of  the  detested  Cat. 

*'  I  can  see  his  big  foot-prints  plainly,"  added 
Mojswa.  "  There  is  no  question  as  to  who  is 
the    thief.     Let  us   go    back    and   summon   the 


THK    PUNISHING   OF    PISFW 


205 


ack   again 

ircajou. 
Rof,  with 

il  capable 
3se  ;   "  we 

ircajou. 

growled 

gleam  of 

hasis. 

:k    King  ; 

"hief  will 


lis  toncrue 


Df  Pisew's 
Carcajou, 

from  be- 
ied  Fish  ; 
bul  smell 
and  he 
If-muffled 

y^,"  added 
o  who  is 
imon  the 


Council  of  the  Boundaries,  and  decide  what  is 
to  be  done  with   this   Breaker  of  Oaths." 

When  they  had  returned  to  the  King's  burrow, 
he  commanded  that  Umisk,  Nekik,  Wapistan, 
Mink,  Skunk,  Wapoos,  and  all  others,  shouKl 
be  gathered,  so  that  judgment  might  be  passed 
upon  the  traitor.  "Also  summon  Pisew,"  he  said 
to  Jay. 

When  the  Council  members  had  arrived, 
Whisky-Jack  came  back  with  a  report  that 
Lynx  could   not  be  found. 

"  Guilt  and  a  full  stomach  have  caused  him 
to  travel  far ;  it  is  easier  to  keep  out  of  the  way 
than  to  answer  eyes  that  u.vc  asking  questions," 
declared  Blue  Wolf,  in  a  thick  voice. 

"Then  we  shall  decide  without  .lim,"  cried 
Black    King,   angrily. 

The  evidence  was  put  clearly  before  the  Coun- 
cil by  Rof,  Carcajou,  and  Mooswa  ;  besides,  each 
of  the  animals  swore  solemnly  by  their  different 
tail-marks,  which  is  an  oath  not  to  be  broken, 
that  they  had  not  done  this  thing. 

"  Well,"  said  Black  Fox,  "  we  arranged  before 
that,  in  case  of  a  serious  breach  of  the  Law,  the 
Council  should  decide  by  numbers  whether  any 
one  must  die  because  of  the  Law  breaking.  Is 
that  not  so  ?  " 

"  It  is,"  they  all  answered. 


2o6 


MOOSWA 


c 


I 


"  Then  what  of  Pisew,  who  has  undoubtedly 
broken  the  Oath-promise  that  was  made  unto 
Mooswa  ?  " 

"  He  must  die  !  "  snarled  Blue  Wolf. 

"  He  must  cease  to  be  !  "  echoed  Carcajou. 

"  Yes,  it  is  not  right  that  he  live  ! "  declared 
Mooswa.  And  from  Bull  Moose  down  to 
Wapistan,  all  agreed  that  Pisew  deserved  death 
for  his  traitorous  conduct. 

"  But  how  ?  "  asked  the  King. 

Nobody  answered  for  a  time.  Killing,  except 
because  of  hunger,  was  a  new  thing  to  them  no 
one  wanted  to  have  the  slaying  of  Lynx  upon  his 
conscience  —  the  role  of  executioner  was  undesir- 
able. 

"  He  shall  die  after  the  manner  of  his  Father, 
—  by  the  Snare,  and  by  the  means  of  Man,  which 
is  just,"  announced  Carcajou,  presently. 

"  But  Fran9ois  has  gone,  and  the  Man-Cub 
traps  not,"  objected  the  Red  Widow. 

"  He  did  not  trouble  to  take  up  the  Snares, 
though.  Good  Dame,"  affirmed  Wolverine  ;  "  I 
know  of  three." 

"You  know  of  three,  and  didn't  spring  them?" 
queried  Jack,  incredulously. 

"There  was  no  Bait—  only  the  vile  smell- 
ing Castoreum,"  answered  Carcajou,  disdainfully. 
"  And  there  was  also  a  chance  that  Pisew  might 


/<l:5 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISEW     207 

poke  his  traitorous  head  through  one  —  I  guard 
not  for  that  Sneak." 

"  But  how  will  you  induce  Pisew  to  thrust  his 
worthless  neck  into  the  Snare?"  asked  Black 
King. 

"There  is  some  of  the  Fat-eating  still  left, 
Your  Majesty,"  returned  Carcajou,  "  and  I  '11 
forfeit  a  piece  as  Bait." 

"  That  should  tempt  him,"  asserted  the  King. 

"  But  he  may  be  a  long  time  discovering  it," 
ventured  Umisk,  pointing  out  a  seeming  diffi- 
culty. 

"  Leave  that  to  me,"  pleaded  Whisky-Jack ; 
"  you  provide  the  Bait,  and  I  '11  provide  the 
Thief  who  '11  try  to  steal  it." 

It  being  settled  that  way,  the  Council  ad- 
journed, Carcajou  and  Whisky-Jack  being  se- 
lected as  a  Committee  of  Execution.  Wolverine 
showed  Jay  where  the  snare  was  placed,  and 
while  he  cleverly  arranged  the  bacon  beyond  its 
quick-slipping  noose,  the  latter  scoured  the  For- 
ests and  muskegs  for  Pisew  until  he  found  him. 

"Hello,  Feather- Feet !  "  he  hailed  the  Lynx 
with. 

"  Good-day,  Gossip  !  "  retorted  Pisew. 

"  You  're  looking  well  fed  for  this  Year  of 
Famine,  my  carnivorous  Friend,"  said  Whisky- 
Jack,  pleasantly. 


208 


MOOSWA 


C 


"  Yes,  I  *m  fat  because  of  much  fasting/*  an- 
swered Lynx.  "  The  memory  of  Carcajou's 
Fat-eating  alone  keeps  me  alive  ;  I  'm  starved  — 
I  'm  as  thin  as  a  snow-shoe.  It's  days  since  my 
form  would  even  cast  a  shadow  —  can  you  not 
see  right  through  me,  Eagle-eyed  Bird  ? " 

"  I  think  I  can,"  declared  the  Jay,  meaning 
Lynx's  methods,  more  than  his  thick-woolled 
body. 

"  I  'm  starving! "  reasserted  the  Cat.  "  If  Car- 
cajou were  half  so  generous  as  he  pretends,  he 
should  give  me  another  piece  of  that  Fat-eating ; 
it  would  save  my  life  —  really  it  would."  He  was 
pleading  poverty  with  an  exaggerated  flourish,  lest 
he  be  suspected  of  the  ill-gotten  wealth  of  Fish. 

"  Yes,  Carcajou  is  a  miser,"  aflirmed  Whisky- 
Jack.  "  He  still  has  some  of  the  Man's  bacon 
cached." 

*'  I  wish  I  knew  where,"  panted  Lynx.  "  There 
is  no  wrong  in  stealing  from  a  thief —  is  there, 
wise  Bird?  " 

"  I  know  where  some  of  it  is  hidden,"  declared 
Jay,  with  an  air  of  great  satisfaction. 

"  Tell  me,"  pleaded  the  other. 

At  first  Jack  refused  utterly  ;  then  by  diplo- 
matic weakenings  he  succumbed  to  Pisew's  eager 
solicitation,  and  veered  around,  consenting  to 
point  out  some  of  Wolverine's  stolen  treasure. 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISEW     209 


iting,"  an- 

Carcajou's 

starved  — 

5  since  my 

n  you  not 

i?" 

,  meaning 

:k:-woolled 


"If  Car- 
etends,  he 
7at-eating ; 
"  He  was 
Durish,  lest 
1  of  Fish, 
i  Whisky- 
in's  bacon 

"  There 
—  is  there, 

,"  declared 


by  diplo- 
ew's  eager 
senting   to 

treasure. 


« 


(( 


"  1  ou  are  a  true  friend,  Jack,"  asserted  Pisew, 
encouragingly. 

"  To  whom  ?  "  asked  the  Bird,  pointedly. 

"Oh,  to  me,  of  course;  for  Carcajou  is  a  friend 
to  nobody.     But,  Jack,"  he  said  suddenly,  "  you 
are  fond  of  Yellow-eating,  are  n't  you  ?  " 
Yes,  I  like  butter." 

Well,  I  'II  tell  you  where  you  can  get  rare 
good  picking  —  it 's  a  good  joke  on  Carcajou,  too, 
though  it  was  so  badly  covered  up  that  I  thought 
it  more  like  a  Man's  cache." 

The  Jay  started.  Had  this  wily  thief  stolen 
his  butter  also  —  the  butter  that  Carcajou  had 
hidden  for  him  at  the  Shack  looting? 

"  You  see,"  continued  Lynx,  "  I  stumbled 
upon  it  quite  by  accident  as  I  was  digging  for 
Grubs,  Beetles,  and  poor  food  of  that  sort  — 
hardly  enough  to  fill  one's  teeth.  Oh,  this 
Seventh  Year  is  terrible  !  I  was  starving,  Friend 
—  really  I  was  ;  the  gaunt  gnawing  which  never 
comes  to  you,  and  of  which  you  know  nothing, 
for  you  are  always  with  the  Men  who  have 
plentv,  was  in  my  stomach.  I  was  thinking  of 
the  hunger-hardship,  and  of  the  great  store  of 
Fat-eating  Carcajou  must  have  cached,  when  I 
came  upon  this  wooden-holder  of  stuff  that  is 
like  yellow  marrow." 

"  Butter,"  interrupted  the  Bird. 

14 


2IO 


MOOSWA 


[ 


ii 


(I 


"  I  suppose  so,"  whined  Lynx. 

"  And  you  ate  it  ?  "  queried  Jack  sharply,  ex- 
periencing a  sick  feeling  of  desolation. 

"  There  was  only  a  little  of  it,  only  a  little," 
iterated  Pisew,  deprecatingly ;  "  hardly  worth 
one's  trouble  in  tearing  the  cover  from  the 
wooden-thing." 

The  tub,"  advised  Jack. 
Probably  ;  1  'm  not  familiar  with  the  names 
of  Man's  things.  But  I  just  tasted  it  —  that  was 
all ;  just  a  little  to  oil  my  throat,  and  soothe  the 
pain  that  was  in  my  stomach.  It  is  still  there, 
really  —  under  a  big  rotten  log,  where  the  water 
falls  for  the  length  of  Panther's  spring  over  high 
rocks  in  Summer." 

"  What 's  there,  —  the  tub  ?  "  queried  Jack, 
incredulously. 

"Also  the  yellow  marrow  —  the  butter," 
affirmed  Pisew. 

"  Oh  !  "  exclaimed  Whisky-Jack,  drily.  He 
knew  the  other  was  lying;  if  Pisew  had  found 
the  tub  he  would  have  licked  it  clean  as  a 
washed  platter.  But  the  revenge  he  had  in 
hand  for  this  Prince  of  all  Thieves  was  so 
complete  that  it  was  not  worth  while  reviling 
him. 

"  Still  I  think  you  had  better  not  touch  Car- 
cajou's Fat-eating,"  he  advised. 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISP:W     211 


Lynx  laughed  at  this.  Why  should  n't  he  — 
he  was  so  very  hungry  ? 

"  Well,"  said  the  Bird,  "mind  I  don't  wish  to 
lead  you  to  it  — don't  ask  you  to  go  —  in  fact, 
I  think  you  had  better  keep  away  ;  but  Dumpty's 
Fat-eating  is  hidden  under  the  roots  of  that  big 
up-turned  Spruce,  just  where  Mooswa's  trail 
crosses  the  Pelican  on  its  way  to  his  Moose-yard." 

"  Do  you  really  think  it  was  hidden  there  by 
Carcajou  ?  "  asked  Lynx.  "  Is  it  not  Fran9ois's 
cache  —  or  some  last  year's  cache  of  another 
Man  ?  They  are  always  wandering  about 
through  the  Boundaries,  looking  for  the  yellow 
dust  that  is  washed  down  by  running  waters, 
or  for  the  white  metal  that  sleeps  in  rocks." 

"  No,  the  white  Meat  belongs  to  our  hump- 
backed Comrade  —  at  least  he  rustled  it  from  the 
Breed's  Shack,"  answered  Jay. 

"  Perhaps  after  all  it  would  not  be  fair  to  take 
it,  then,"  whined  Lynx.  "I  am  hungry  —  oh, 
so  hungry,  but  to  steal  from  one  of  our  Com- 
rades, even  to  save  one's  life  —  I  would  rather 
die,  I  believe." 

"  Prince  of  deceitful  wretches  !  "  muttered  Jay 
to  himself.  "  Oh,  the  cant  of  it !  now  he  means 
to  steal  it  sure,  but  is  afraid  that  I  may  inform 
against  him." 

"I'll    not   touch   the    Fat-eating,"    continued 


212 


MOOSWA 


c 


Si 


I 


Pisew.  "  True,  the  Little  Lieutenant  stole  it 
from  Fran9ois ;  but  that  is  different,  is  it  hol, 
wise  Brother  —  you  who  are  learned  in  the  Law 
of  the  Boundaries  ?  To  take  from  them  who 
would  rob  us  of  our  clothes  is  not  wrong,  is  it  ?  " 

"No;  that  is  understood  by  all  of  us,"  an- 
swered Jack,  aloud ;  to  himself  he  said,  "  the 
prating  hypocrite  ! " 

"So  Carcajou  is  entitled  by  our  law  to  half  of 
the  spoil,  and  I  suppose  that  is  the  Fat-eating 
he  has  cached ;  the  other  half  went  in  the  love 
feast." 

"  Yes." 

"Then  I'll  not  touch  it — I  will  starve  to 
death  first,"  and  Pisew  sat  meekly  on  his  haun- 
ches and  rolled  his  eyes  sanctimoniously. 

"  I  had  no  idea  there  was  so  much  honourable 
observance  of  the  law  in  your  nature,"  sneered 
Jack.  "In  the  Plenty  Year  we  are  all  honest; 
but  in  this,  the  Season  of  Starvation,  to  be  hon- 
ourable and  regardful  of  each  other's  Eating  is  in- 
deed noble.  Will  he  swallow  that  ?  "  queried 
the  Jay  to  himself. 

"Thank  you,  sayer-of-wise-words,"  murmured 
Pisew.  "  I  always  have  been  misunderstood  — 
accused  of  the  vilest  things  —  even  to  the  eating 
of  Lodge-Builder's  Children." 

Disgusting ! "  exclaimed  Jack,  smartly.  "  They 


(C 


nt  stole  it 
,  is  it  nuL, 
in  the  Law 

them  who 
)ng,  IS  It  r 
of  us,"  an- 

said»   "  the 

V  to  half  of 

Fat-eating 

in  the  love 


11  starve  to 
1  his  haun- 

honourable 
:e,"  sneered 

all   honest ; 

to  be  hon- 
Eating  is  in- 

?  "    queried 

"  murmured 
iderstood  — 
o  the  eating 

rtly.  "They 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISEW     213 

must  be  horrible  eating,  those  young  wearers  of 
Castoreum." 

"  No  —  they  're  delicious  !  "  interrupted  Piscw, 
unwarily, —  "  I  mean  —  I  mean  — they  're  delight- 
ful little  creatures,"  he  added,  lamely. 

"  Well,  I  must  be  off,  you-who-keep-the-fast," 
declared  Jack.  "  I  'm  glad  you  have  resisted  the 
t-^mptation,  for  I  must  admit  that  I  was  only 
trying  you." 

"  I  thought  so  —  I  thought  so  !  "  snickered 
Lynx;  "and  at  first  I  joked  to  draw  you  on  — 
pretended  that  I  would  do  this  disgraceful  thing 
—  take  our  most  worthy  Lieutenant's  store  of 
Eating." 

"  Now  I  must  warn  the  Council,"  thought 
Jack,  as  he  flew  swiftly  through  the  forest,  "  for 
Pisew  will  make  straight  for  Carcajou's  bacon. 
Deceitful  wretch  !  he  deserves  to  be  hanged. 
His  death  will  save  many  a  Fox-Cub,  many  a 
Kit-Beaver,  and  many  a  Bird's  egg." 

"  Wise  Bird,  indeed  !  "  sneered  Lynx.  "  I  've 
deceived  him.  I  '11  soon  have  Gulo  the  Glut- 
ton's Fat-eating ;  and  Whisky-Jack  will  bear 
witness  to  my  honesty.  They  are  all  so  wise  ; 
but  Pisew,  the  despised,  fares  better  than  any  one. 
No;  nobody  will  know  if  I  take  it  —  not  even 
the  Devil-eyes  of  Carcajou  will  discover  whose 
trail   it  is,  for   I  will  drag  the  Fat-eating,  walk- 


214 


MOOSWA 


l>2t 


r"^^^ 


ing  backwards,  so  it  will  look  more  like  the 
trough-trail  of  Neklk,  who  slides  on  his  belly 
through  the  deep  snow.  And  Blue  Wolf's  nose 
will  discover  only  the  scent  of  smoke-tainted 
meat,  for  it  will  come  last  over  my  tracks.  Ha, 
ha!"  he  laughed  disagreeably  ;  "we'll  see  who 
lives  through  the  Year  of  Distress  by  the  aid 
of  his  brains." 

And  while  Pisew  chuckled  and  made  straight 
for  the  big  Spruce  where  was  hidden  the  bacon, 
Jack  flew  to  the  Council.  To  them  the  Bird  said, 
"  Keep  you  all  well  hid  in  the  bush  close  to  the 
Bait ;  I  will  hide  in  the  big  tree  which  has  a  hol- 
low, and  when  Pisew's  neck  is  in  the  noose  will 
signal." 

•  ••••• 

With  long  springing  lopes  Lynx  bounded  close 
to  where  Mooswa's  road  crossed  the  ice-bridge 
of  the  Pelican.  Nearing  it  he  walked  steadily, 
making  as  little  trail  as  possible. 

"  Yes,  it  is  cached  in  there,"  he  muttered, 
spreading  his  broad  nostrils,  and  filling  them 
with  the  tantalizing  perfume  of  bacon.  "  Car- 
cajou has  also  been  to  look  at  it  this  morning, 
for  here  are  his  tracks." 

He  wasted  little  time  investigating  —  there  was 
no  fear  of  a  Trap,  for  it  was  not  Man's  work ; 
also   he  must    not   leave  tell-tale    tracks    about ; 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISEW     215 


:  like  the 
his  belly 
'^olf's  nose 
)ke- tain  ted 
cks.  Ha, 
11  see  who 
ly   the   aid 

le  straight 
the  bacon, 
:  Bird  said, 
lose  to  the 
has  a  hol- 
noose  will 


nded  close 

ice-bridge 

d  steadily, 

muttered, 
ling    them 


n. 


(( 


Car- 


mornmg, 

-  there  was 
m's  work ; 
ks    about ; 


besides,  it  would  not  do  to  remain  long  in  the 
vicinity  for  fear  of  being  seen.  Swiftly,  stealthily, 
he  slunk  to  the  very  spot,  and  pushed  his  round 
head  through  a  little  bush-opening  that  seemed 
designed  by  Carcajou  to  conceal  his  stolen  Meat. 
Yes,  it  was  there.  Pisew  seized  the  bacon  hun- 
grily and  started  to  back  out  with  his  booty.  As 
he  did  so  there  was  the  swishing  rush  of  a  straight- 
ening-up  Birch-sapling,  and  something  gripped 
him  by  the  throat,  carrying  him  off  his  feet. 
The  startled  Cat  screamed,  and  wrenched  vio- 
lently at  the  snare  as  he  scooted  skyward. 
His  contortions  caused  the  strong  cod-line 
which  was  about  his  neck  to  carry  away  from 
the  swaying  Birch,  and  he  dropped  back  to  earth, 
only  to  find  himself  fighting  with  a  heavy  stick 
which  dangled  at  the  other  end  of  the  line. 

What  a  fiendish  thing  the  snare-stick  seemed  to 
Pisew.  It  fought  back  —  it  jumped,  and  reeled, 
and  struck  him  in  the  ribs,  and  tugged  at  the 
snare  which  was  strangling  him,  and  ran  away 
from  him,  pulling  the  hot-cord  tight  about  his 
throat  with  the  strength  of  Muskwa  ;  it  was  a 
Devil-stick  surely  —  also  would  it  kill  him  if  no 
help  came.  The  bacon  fell  from  his  mouth,  and 
he  tried  to  call  for  assistance,  but  only  a  queer, 
guzzling,  half-choked  gasp  came  from  his  clogged 
throat. 


2l6 


MOOSWA 


c 


As  if  in  answer  to  his  muffled  call  he  heard, 
faintly,  a  Bird-voice  —  it  was  Jack's — would  he 
help  him?     Lynx  felt  that  he  would  not. 

"  He-e-e-p,  he-e-e-p  !  qu-e  e-k,  que-e-e-e-k  ! 
come  one,  come  all,"  cried  Whisky-Jrck. 

Violently  Lynx  struggled.  Tighter  and  tighter 
gathered  the  cord-noose,  his  own  efforts  drawing 
the  death-circle  closer.  His  fast-glazing  eyes 
could  just  make  out,  'n  a  shadowy  way,  the  forms 
of  gathering  Comrades.  He  had  been  trapped  — 
they  were  in  at  the  death  to  witness  the  execution 
by  his  own  hand.  It  did  not  last  long.  That 
merciless  noose,  ever  tightening,  ever  closing  in 
on  the  air  pipes,  was  doing  its  work  —  drying  up 
the  lungs. 

"  It 's  terrible  !  "  Mooswa  blurted  out.  "  He 's 
dead  now —  I  'm  glad  of  it." 

"  Yes,  he  's  dead,"  declared  Carcajou,  putting 
his  short-eared  head  down  to  Pisew's  side,  for  well 
he  knew  the  old  Forest  trick  of  shamming  death 
to  escape  its  reality. 

"  What  of  the  carcass  ?  "  asked  Mooswa  ; 
"  shall  I  carry  it  far  in  the  bowl  of  my  horns  ? 
One  of  our  Comrades,  though  he  die  the  just  death 
as  declared  by  Law  should  not  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  Hunt-men." 

"  Leave  him,"  muttered  Blue  Wolf;  "  the  Pack 
pass  this  trail  to-night." 


le  heard, 
ivould  he 
t. 
;-e-e-e-k  ! 

id  tighter 
drawing 
ing  eyes 
the  forms 
rapped  — 
execution 
g.  That 
:losing  in 
irying  up 


(C 


H 


e  s 


putting 
,  for  well 
ng  death 

Viooswa  ; 

I  horns  ? 
ust  death 
he  hands 

the  Pack 


"IT'S  terrible:"  mooswa  bllrted  out. 


s 


I'-'-.., 


tt 


THE    PUNISHING   OF    PISEIW     217 
How  fares  The  Boy,  Swift-flyer  r  "   Mooswa 


asked  of  the  Jay. 

"  Badly,  great  Bull,  badly.  One  time  he  takes 
the  two  Fish  this  dead  thief  left,  —  unwillingly 
enough  no  doubt,  —  in  his  hand,  and  looks  at 
them  pitiably  ;  takes  the  white  Dry-eating  — 
Mour,  Men  call  it,  —  and  decides  of  its  weight: 
then  with  the  little  stick  which  makes  a  black 
mark  he  lines  cross-trails  on  a  board,  and  mutters 
about  so  many  pounds  of  Eating  for  so  many 
days,  and  always  ends  by  saying  :  '  It  can't  be 
done  —  I  shall  starve.'  Then  he  comes  to  the 
door  and  looks  over  the  river  trail  which  way 
went  Francois,  as  though  he  too  would  pull  out 
for  The  Landing." 

"  That  he  must  not  attempt,"  cried  Mooswa, 
decidedly.  "  Turn  your  noses.  Brothers,  to  the 
wind  which  comes  from  the  big  West-hills  — 
moisten  them  first,  so  !  "  and  a  bluish-gray  tongue 
damped  the  cushion  bulk  of  his  nostrils.  All 
the  Council  pointed  their  heads  up  wind,  and 
it  smote  raw  in  their  questioning  faces. 

"Gh-u-r-r!"  growled  Blue  Wolf,  "I  know; 
when  comes  this  wind-wrath  of  the  Mountains, 
Mooswa? " 

"  To-night,  or  to-morrow,"  answered  the  Bull. 

"  Then  lie  we  close  from  the  time  the  light 
fails    this    day    until   it  is  all  over;    each   to   his 


2l8 


MOOSWA 


\ 

l»»8? 


c 


ilia 


Burrow,  eacli  to  his  hollow  tree,  each  to  his  thick 
bush,"  continued  Rof.  "  Francois  will  not  have 
reached  The  Landing  yet,  either.  Dogs  are  not 
like  Wolves  —  perhaps  the  blizzard  will  smother 
tnem. 

"  The  Breed-man  has  the  cunning  of  all  Ani- 
mals together."  asserted  Carcajou.  "  He  will 
choose  a  good  shelter  under  a  cut-bank,  even  per- 
haps put  the  fire-medicine  to  the  dry-wood,  then 
all  together,  as  Brothers,  he  and  the  Dogs  will 
lie  huddled  like  a  Fox  Pack,  and  though  the 
wrath  howl  for  three  dnys  none  of  their  lives  will 
go  out."  The  deep-thinking  little  Wolverine 
knew  that  Rof  was  fretting,  not  for  Fran9ois,  but 
because  of  Marsh  Maid. 

"  But  the  Man-Cub  is  not  like  that,"  declared 
Bull  Moose,  "  and  if  he  starts,  good  Jay,  do  thou 
fly  quickly  and  bring  us  tidings.  Rof,  thou  and 
thy  Pack  must  turn  him  in  the  trail." 

"  We  will,"  assented  Blue  Wolf  "  All  this 
trouble  because  of  that  carrion  !  "  and  he  threw 
snow  over  the  dead  body  of  Lynx  disdainfully 
with  his  powerful  hind-feet. 


3  his  thick 

I  not  have 
gs  are  not 

II  smother 

Df  all  Ani- 

"  He   will 

:,  even  per- 

wood,  then 

Dogs  will 
:hough  the 
ir  lives  will 

Wolverine 
:an9ois,  but 

t,"  declared 
ay,  do  thou 
f,  thou  and 

"  All  this 
d  he  threw 
disdainfully 


THE    CARING    FOR   THE    BOY 

WHATEVER  Rod's  intentions  might  have 
been  about  following  on  after  Fran9ois, 
their  carrying  out  was  utterly  destroyed  by  the 
terrific  blizzard  which  started  that  night.  All  the 
next  day,  and  the  night  after,  no  living  thing 
stirred  from  its  nest  or  burrow. 

Whisky-Jack  cowered  in  the  lee-side  shelter 
of  the  roof;  and  inside,  Roderick  listened  to  the 
howling  and  sobbing  of  the  storm-demons  that 
rocked  the  rude  Shack  like  a  cradle.  Even 
through  the  moss-chinked,  mud-plastered  log- 
cracks  the  fine  steel-dust  of  the  ice-hard  snow 
drove.     It  was  like  emery  in  its  minute  fierceness. 

Spirit  voices  called  to  Rod  from  the  moan- 
ing Forest ;  his  imagination  pictured  the  weird 
storm-sounds  as  the  voice  of  his  friend  plead- 
ing for  help.  Many  times  he  threw  the  big 
wooden  door-bar  from  its  place,  and  peered 
out  into  the  dark  as  the  angry  wind  pushed 
against  him  with  fretful  swing.  Each  time  he 
was  sure  he   heard  his  Comrade's  voice,  or  the 


2  20 


MOOSWA 


;•  i 


^'ta 


t^* 


howl     of   train-dogs ;    but    there    was    nothing ; 
only  the  blinding,  driving,  frozen  hail  —  fine  and 


sh 


idstoi 


Oi 


arp-cutting  as  the  grit  or  a  sanastone.  unce 
he  thought  the  call  of  a  rifle  struck  on  his  ear  — 
it  was  the  crash  of  an  uprooted  tree,  almost  dead- 
ened by  the  torturing  wind-noises. 

The  cold  crept  into  his  marrow.  All  night  he 
kept  the  fire  going,  and  by  dawn  his  supply  of 
wood  had  dwindled  to  nothing;  he  must  have 
more,  or  perish.  Just  outside  in  the  yard  Fran- 
9ois  had  left  a  pile  of  dry  Poplar.  Almost  choked 
by  the  snow-powdered  air,  Rod  laboured  with  his 
axe  to  cut  enough  for  the  day.  At  intervals  he 
worked,  from  time  to  time  thawing  out  his 
numbed  muscles  by  the  fire-place.  "  One  trip 
more,"  he  muttered,  throwing  down  an  armful  in 
the  Shack,  "  and  I  '11  have  enough  to  last  until 
to-morrow  —  by  that  time  the  storm  will  have 
ceased,  I  hope." 

But  on  that  last  short  journey  a  terrible  thing 
happened.  Blinded  by  the  white-veil  of  blizzard 
Rod  swayed  as  he  brought  the  axe  down,  and 
the  sharp  steel  buried  in  his  moccasined  foot. 
"  O  God  !  "  The  Boy  cried,  in  despairing  agony. 
He  hobbled  into  the  Shack,  threw  the  wooden 
bar  into  place,  tore  up  a  cotton  shirt,  and  from 
the  crude  medicine  knowledge  he  had  acquired 
from  Fran9ois,  soaked  a  plug  of  tobacco,  sepa- 


THE   CARING   FOR   THE   BOY    221 


3  nothing ; 
—  fine  and 
)ne.  Once 
1  his  ear  — 
most  dead- 
ill  night  he 
;  supply  of 
must  have 
yard  Fran- 
lost  choked 
•ed  with  his 
ntervals  he 
ig  out  his 
"  One  trip 
n  armful  in 
o  last  until 
L  will    have 

rrible  thing 
of  blizzard 
down,  and 
isined  foot, 
ring  agony. 
;he  wooden 
t,  and  from 
id  acquired 
)acco,  sepa- 


rated the  leaves,  and  putting  them  next  the 
cut,  bound  the  torn  cloth  tightly  ^about  his 
foot. 

That  night  the  storm  still  raged,  and  his  wound 
brought  a  delirium  pain  which  made  his  fancies 
even  more  realistic.  Whisky-Jack  heard  him 
moaning  and  talking  to  strange  people. 

Next  morning  a  cold  sun  came  up  on  a  still, 
tired  atmosphere.  The  fierce  blizzard  had  sucked 
all  life  out  of  the  air :  the  Spruces'  long  arm^, 
worn  out  with  swaying  and  battling,  hung  asleep 
in  the  dead  calm  :  a  whisper  might  have  been 
heard  a  mile  away. 

At  the  first  glint  of  light  Jack  spread  his 
wings,  and,  travelling  fast  to  the  home  of  Black 
Fox,  told  of  Rod's  helpless  condition.  "  Before 
it  was  the  hunger-death  that  threatened ;  now  the 
frost-sleep  will  come  surely,  for  he  cannot  walk, 
only  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees  like  a  Bear- 
Cub,"  said  Jay  Bird,  with  a  world  of  pity  in  his 
voice. 

"  Call  Mooswa  and  Carcajou,"  cried  the  Red 
Widow,  "The  Boy  is  in  their  keeping." 

When  Wolverine  had  come  he  said :  "  There 
is  still  a  piece  of  Fat-eating  cached,  if  I  can 
find  it  under  this  mountain  of  white-fur  that 
covers  the  breast  of  The  Boundaries." 

"  That  is  well,  good  Comrade,"  declared  Black 


222 


MOOSWA 


C 


'  'lit 


King ;  "  but  how  shall  we  get  it  to  the  hands  of 


our  Man-Cub  ? 


C( 


M 


Place    it    in    the    bowl    of  my   horns, 
and   I   will  lay  it  at  his  door.' 


sau 


ooswa,  *' 

"  Yet  the  Fat-eating  may  be  on  one  side  of  the 
wooden  gate,  and  The  Boy  starve  on  the  other," 
remarked  Whisky-Jack,  thoughtfully. 

"  I  will  knock  with  my  horns,  and  The  Boy 
will  open  the  gate  thinking  it  is  Fran9ois." 

"  tVen  with  a  full  stomach  he  may  perish  from 
the  frost-death,"  continued  Jack ;  "  for  now  he 
cannot  cut  wood  for  riis  chimney  —  though  the 
fire  still  lives,  for  I  saw  its  blue  breath  above  the 
roof  as  I  came  away." 

"  Call  Umisk,"  ordered  Black  King ;  "  he  is 
a  wood-cutter." 

"  Excellent,  excellent !  "  sneezed  Carcajou,  in  a 
wheezy  voice,  for  the  blizzard  had  set  a  cold  on 
his  lungs.  "  If  Chisel-tooth  will  cut  fire-wood 
I  '11  drop  it  down  the  chimney,  and  The  Boy 
may  yet  be  kept  alive  until  Fran9ois  returns. 
Come  with  me.  Daddy  Long-legs,"  he  continued, 
adc  iing  Mooswa,  "and  we'll  have  a  look  for 
ths  t  iched  Fat-eating  in  this  wilderness  of  white- 
frob.vjd  water." 

After  a  tiresome  search  they  found  the  bacon 
that  had  been  hidden  by  the  little  hunchback. 
Mooswa  carried  it  to  the  Shack,  dropping  it  at 


le  hands  of 

orns,  '    said 

I        >> 
loor. 

:  side  of  the 

the  other," 

1  The  Boy 
ois. 

perish  from 
for  now  he 
though  the 
h  above  the 


"g; 


(( 


le  IS 


ircajou,  in  a 
t  a  cold  on 
t  fire-wood 
1  The  Boy 
3is  returns. 
;  continued, 
;  a  Jook  for 
js  of  white- 

l  the  bacon 
hunchback, 
tpping  it  at 


THE    CARING    FOR    THE    BOY     223 

the  door,  against  which  there  was  a  great  drifted 
snow-bank ;  then  he  rubbed  his  horns  gently  up 
and  down  the  boards. 

"  Is  that  you,  Fran9ois  ? "  cried  a  voice  that 
trembled  with  gladness,  from  inside  the  Shack. 
There  was  a  fumbling  at  the  door,  and  the  next 
instant  it  was  pulled  open. 

Mooswa  almost  cried  at  sight  of  the  pain- 
pinched,  ghost-like  face  that  confronted  him,  and 
The  Boy  recoiled  with  a  look  of  tiismay  —  the 
huge  head  frightened  him.  Then  catching  sight  of 
the  bacon,  he  looked  from  it  to  the  Bull-Moose 
questioningly ;  all  at  once  an  idea  came  to  him. 

"  You  are  hungry  too,  Mr.  Moose,  are  you  ?  " 
for  he  remembered  stories  of  severe  storms  having 
driven  deer  and  other  wild  animals  to  the  haunts 
of  Man  for  food.  Evidently  the  smell  of  bacon 
had  attracted  the  Moose;  but  where  in  the  world 
had  it  come  from .?  Had  it  been  left  by  some 
chance  on  the  roof,  and  knocked  off  by  the  strong 
blizzard  wind.?  That  seemed  a  likely  solution. 
The  Moose  was  so  unafraid,  too  —  it  was  curious ! 
He  reached  out  and  pulled  in  the  bacon  —  it  was 
like  the  manna  shower. 

"  Poor  old  Chap  !  "  he  said,  stretching  out  a 
hand  and  patting  the  big  fat  nose  timidly ; 
"  you  've  come  to  a  bad  place  for  food.  There  's' 
nothing  here  you  can  eat." 


224 


MOOSWA 


S 


c 


Mooswa  stuck  out  his  rough  tongue,  and 
caressed  the  wrist.  Rod  scratched  the  Bull's 
forehead  in  return,  and  they  were  friends. 

The  big  eyes  of  Mooswa  wandered  about  the 
bare  pathetic  interior.  It  was  a  poor  enough 
place  for  a  crippled  Boy  —  but  what  could  be 
done.  "  I  wish  I  could  speak  to  him,"  he 
thought,  rubbing  his  massive  face  against  the 
flannel  shirt  reassuringly.  Then  he  turned  and 
walked  solemnly  through  the  little  clearing,  and 
disappeared  in  the  thick  wood. 

The  bacon  put  new  heart  in  Roderick. 

A  rational  explanation  of  this  advent  of  the 
pork  appeared  to  be  that  it  had  fallen  from  the 
roof;  but  all  through  that  night  of  distress 
The  Boy  had  muttered  broken  little  prayers,  just 
as  he  had  done  for  years  at  his  mother's  knee, 
and  whether  it  had  actually  fallen  from  the  roof  or 
from  the  skies  was  not  the  real  issue,  for  he  was  con- 
vinced that  it  had  come  in  answer  to  his  prayers. 

The  pain  crept  up  his  leg,  up  his  back,  and,  as 
the  hours  dragged  on,  the  dreary,  lonesome  ho-'  s, 
it  mounted  to  his  brain,  and  the  queer  fancies  of 
approaching  delirium  carried  him  to  a  fairy  land 
peopled  by  unreal  things.  He  had  just  sanity 
enough  to  keep  the  chimney  fire  going,  but  his 
little  pile  of  wood  dwindled  until  the  last  stick 
was  placed  on  the  coals.     When  in  the  afternoon 


ngue,  and 
the  Bull's 
ends. 

about  the 
or  enough 
:   could  be 

him,"  he 
Lgainst  the 
turned  and 
earing,  and 

ck, 

^ent  of  the 
;n  from  the 
of    distress 
)rayers,  just 
:her's  knee, 
the  roof  or 
he  was  con- 
lis  prayers, 
ack,  and,  as 
some  ho''    s, 
r  fancies  of 
a  fairy  land 
just  sanity 
ng,  but  his 
le  last  stick 
le  afternoon 


"•'• 1%^ 


"  POOR  OLD  CHAP ! 


s 


THE   CARING   FOR   THE    BOY     225 


Carcajou  dropped  three  billets  that  Umisk  had 
cut  down  the  chimney,  Roderick  laughed.  He 
was  a  King  in  delirium-land,  and  when  he  wanted 
anything  all  he  had  to  do  was  pray,  and  the  angels 
would  send  it. 

Sometimes  the  sticks  of  wood  rolled  out  on 
the  floor  as  they  clattered  down  —  these  The  Boy 
put  to  one  side. 

"  I  suppose  the  angels  won't  come  in  the 
night,"  he  whispered ;  then  laughed.  It  was  a 
grotesque  idea,  but  the  fire  was  kept  blazing. 

He  had  no  rational  thought  of  eating ;  wher 
he  felt  hunger-pains  he  fried  a  little  of  the  bacon 
and  ate  it.  Sometimes  he  made  a  batter  of  flour 
and  water,  cooking  the  mixture  in  a  frying-pan 
over  the  fire  —  turning  out  an  almost  impossible 
kind  of  pancake. 

"  He  acts  like  Wapoos  in  the  early  Spring," 
Whisky-Jack  told  Mooswa:  "  laughs,  and  whistles, 
and  cries,  and  sobs  ;  but  he  eats,  which  is  a  good 
thing,  and  is  also  warm.  I  never  thought  that 
crop-eared  Hunchback,  Carcajou,  had  goodness 
enough  in  him  to  do  anything  for  anybody." 

"  He 's  like  yourself,  Whisky-Jack,  a  bit  of  a 
th  —  sharp-tOiigued  fellow,  I  mean"  (thief,  he 
was  going  tC'  say,  but  checked  himself  just  in 
time),  "  and  full  of  queer  tricks,  but  good-hearted 
enough  when  a  Comrade  is  in  trouble.     How 


''■i^r^ 


226 


MOOSWA 


(( 


(( 


long  will  the  Fat-eating,  which  is  the  food  of  you 
Meat-eaters,  last  The  Boy  P "  Mooswa  asked. 
Perh^.ps  three  days." 

Also,  is  it  good  food  for  the  sick  —  is  it 
not  too  strong  ?  When  I  am  not  well  there  are 
certain  plants  that  agree  with  me,  and  others  I 
cannot  touch." 

"  Fish  would  be  better,"  declared  Jack,  with 
the  air  of  a  consulting  physician. 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  Mooswa.  "  The  smell 
of  that  bacon  at  the  door  almost  turned  my 
stomach.  If  the  Man-Cub  could  only  eat  sweet 
Birch-tips,  or  dried  Moose-flower — it's  delicious 
when  well  preserved  under  deep  snow.  Even 
unrotted  moss  would  be  better  for  him  than  that 
evil-scented  Meat." 

The  Bird  laughed,  "  He,  he,  he !  fancy  the 
Man-Cub  chewing  a  great  cud  of  mushy  grass. 
Now  Fish,  as  I  have  said,  would  be  just  the 
thing;  there's  nothing  lies  so  sweet  on  one's 
stomach,  unless  it 's  Butter.  Warm  Roostings  1 
but  I  wish  that  cat-faced  Pisev  had  been  hanged 
before  he  found  my  cache." 

"Jack,"  continued  Moose,  "you  might  ask 
Nekik  or  Sakwasew  to  catch  a  Fish  for  The 
Boy  ;  they  are  all  bound  by  the  promise  to  help 
take  care  of  him."  , 

"  All  right,"  said  Jay.    "  Otter  might  do  It,  for 


THE   CAKING   FOR   THE    BOY     227 


od  of  you 

asked. 

:k  —  is  it 
I  there  are 
I  others   I 

Jack,  with 

The  smell 
;urned  my 
f  eat  sweet 
's  delicious 
w.  Even 
1  than  that 

fancy  the 
ishy  grass, 
just  the 
on  one's 

loostings ! 

en  hanged 

might  ask 
h  for  The 
ise  to  help 

t  do  it,  for 


he  's  a  generous  Chap,  hut  Sakwasew  is  a  greedy 
little  snip,  I  think.  I  never  knew  a  Mink  yet 
that  was  n't  selfish." 

"  I  don't  know  how  long  we  shall  have  to  look 
after  this  Pvlan-Cuh,"  Mooswa  said,  when  he,  and 
Kof,  and  Black  King  talked  the  matter  over  that 
evening.  "  Fran9ois  is  a  good  Trapper,  we  all 
know  that  to  our  sorrow,  and  he  likes  The  Boy, 
for  he  was  years  with  his  Father,  the  Factor,  as 
servant  to  the  Company,  but  still  he  's  a  Breed, 
and  if  there  's  any  fire-water  at  The  Landing  it  is 
hard  to  say  when  he  may  get  back  ;  besides,  the 
breath  of  the  mountain  that  shrivelled  us  all  for 
two  days  may  have  got  into  his  heart." 

"  My  Pack  hunts  for  three  days  in  thf;  far 
Boundaries,"    muttered    Blue  Wolf. 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  the  King,  sharply. 

"In  three  days  I  will  tell  Your  Majesty," 
answered  Rof,  shutting  his  jaws  with  a  snap. 

"Well,  well,"  exclaimed  Black  Fox,  "in  the 
Year  of  Starvation  there  is  no  preserve.  We 
hunt  where  we  find,  and  eat  where  we  catch ; 
and  only  the  Kit-law  and  the  Cub-law,  and  the 
Seventh  Year   Law  of  the   Wapoos  is  binding." 

Blue  Wolf  disappeared  for  three  days  ;  and  for 
three  days  Umisk  cut  wood  for  The  Boy,  and 
Carcajou  dropped  it  down  the  chimney.  Mooswa 
went  every  day  and  rubbed  his  horns  against  the 


228 


MOOSWA 


c 

I 


'lit 


4  i:  ■' 


door.  The  coming  of  his  Moose  friend  was  also 
a  part  of  the  angel  care  the  wounded  boy  had 
dreamed  into  his  life.  His  eager  joy  at  even  this 
companionship  was  pitiable;  but  it  was  something 
to  look  forward  to— -something  to  pull  him  back 
out  of  the  deeper  levels  of  delirium-world. 

Nekik,  the  Otter,  caught  a  fish,  at  Mooswa's 
request,  and  Carcajou  dropped  it  down  the 
chimney. 

"  It  will  burn,"  objected  Umisk,  who  was  cut- 
ting wood. 

"  Then  The  Boy  will  find  it  with  his  nose," 
answered  Carcajou. 

After  that  Roderi-^k  asked  the  angels  to  bring 
him  fish  —  it  was  better  than  bacon.  They  were 
queer  angels,  Nekik  and  Carcajou,  but  the  sick 
lad  got  a  fish  every  day. 

On  the  third  day  Blue  Wolf  returned.  "  I 
found  one  of  the  Men-kind  down  the  river,"  he 
announced  to  Mooswa  and  Black  Fox ;  "  he  is 
trapping  alone,  I  think." 

"  Well,"  queried  Black  King,  "what  of  that  ?  " 
for  he  did  not  quite  understand. 

"  If  we  could  get  him  to  The  Boy  I  thought  it 
might  be  well,"  answered  Blue  Wolf. 

"  Ah  !  I  see,"  cried  the  King.  "  That 's  wiiy 
the  Pack  hunted  for  three  days  in  the  far  Boun- 
daries." 


II 


tid  was  also 
d  boy  had 
It  even  this 
5  something 
11  him  back 
)rld. 

:  Mooswa's 
down    the 

ho  was  cut- 

h  his  nose," 

rels  to  bring 

They  were 

ut   the  sick 

urned.  "  I 
e  river,"  he 
ox  ;  "  he  is 

It  of  that?" 

I  thought  it 

That 's  why 
e  far  Boun- 


THE    CARING    FOR    THK    BOY     229 

Wolf  growled  a  deprecating  objection. 

"  How  far  away  is  he?  "  asked  Mooswa. 

"  Six  hours  of  the  Chase-lope,"  answered  Blue 
Wolf 

"  I  could  bring  him,  even  as  I  led  Francois 
away  when  you  were  not  desirous  of  his  company, 
Your  Majesty,"  said  the  Moose. 

"  It 's  a  dangerous  game,"  muttered  Black 
Fox.  "I  don't  like  it — one  can't  judge  the 
strike  of  their  Firesticks ;  and  you  're  such  a  big 
mark  —  like  the  side  of  a  Man's  Shack." 

"  I  saw  The  Boy's  leg  to-day,"  continued 
Mooswa,  "  and  it 's  bigger,  with  this  wound- 
poison,  than  my  nose.  Unless  he  gets  help  soon, 
he  will  die." 

"  Fran9ois  should  be  back  in  a  day  or  two," 
declared  the  King. 

"  Fran9ois  is  a  Breed,"  asserted  Mooswa ; 
"  and  days  are  like  the  little  sticks  the  Breed- 
men  use  when  they  play  cards  —  something  to 
gamble  with." 

"The  Pack  could  be  ready  if  the  Man  pressed 
too  close  as  you  led  him  to  our  Man-Cub,"  sug- 
gested Rof. 

"I  do  not  :  'ar  him  the  first  day,"  continued 
Mooswa;  "  Man's  speed  is  always  the  same  and 
I  can  judge  of  it  ,  it  is  the  second  day,  when  I 
am  tired  from  the  deep  snow,  that  a  little  rest, 


230 


MOOSWA 


>  ;' 


c 


too  long  drawn  out,  or  a  misjudged  circle  with 
one  of  the  followers  travelling  wide  of  my  trail, 
that  may  cause  me  to  come  within  reach  of  their 
Firestick." 

"  Well,  you  might  not  reach  Red  Stone  Brook 
in  one  day,"  asserted  Blue  Wolf;  "so  perchance 
you  may  need  help  the  second.  You  '11  find  the 
Man  just  below  Big  Rapids." 

"  I  '11  start  to-night,"  said  Mooswa,  "  for  The 
Boy  must  get  help  from  his  own  kind  soon.  He 
is  sick  of  the  wounded  leg  —  also  of  a  half-filled 
stomach;  but  then  there  is  another  illness  that 
neither  I  nor  any  of  us  can  understand.  Perhaps 
it  is  of  that  thing  the  Factor  said  Men  had 
and  would  sell  for  the  evil  fire-water  —  the  soul. 
One  time  the  eyes  of  The  Boy  are  all  right,  even 
as  yours,  Rof,  or  mine,  seeing  the  things  that 
are ;  and  then  a  look  comes  in  them  that  is  like 
the  darkening  of  a  purple  Moose -flower  when 
the  sunlight  is  suddenly  chased  away  by  a  cloud. 
Then  this  Boy,  that  is  a  Man-Cub,  talks  to  his 
Mother,  and  his  Sister,  and  calls  to  the  things 
he  names  Angels,  up  on  the  roof;  though  I  know 
not  what  they  may  be,  because  it  is  only  little 
humpbacked  Carcajou  dropping  wood  down  the 
chimney.  Yes,  that 's  what  it  must  be,"  Mooswa 
continued,  reflectively,  "  the  sickness  of  this  Soul- 
thing  the  Men-kind  have,  for  The  Boy  laughs, 


circle  with 
of  my  trail, 
ich  of  their 

(tone  Brook 

0  perchance 
'11  find  the 

I,  "  for  The 

soon.  He 
a  half-filled 
illness  that 
d.  Perhaps 
[  Men  had 
—  the  soul. 

right,  even 
things   that 

that  is  like 

lower  when 

by  a  cloud. 

talks  to  his 

the  things 
ugh  I  know 

onlv  little 

1  down  the 
;,"  Mooswa 
)f  this  Soul- 
^oy  laughs, 


THE    CARING    FOR    THE    BOY     231 

and  cries,  and  his  eyes  blaze,  and  look  soft  like 
one's  young,  and  flood  with  tears,  and  glare  hot 
and  dry.  Yes,  he  must  have  help  from  his  own 
kind,  for  we  know  not  of  this  thing. 

"  With  good  fortune  I  may  lead  this  Man  to 
him  by  the  coming  of  darkness  the  first  day  ;  if 
not,  then  Blue  Wolf  will  stand  guard  on  my  trail 
the  second." 

"  Yes,  even  the  first  day,  also,  will  I  be  near," 
asserted  Rof 


FRANCOIS   AT   THE    LANDING 


As  Mooswa  tramped  down  the  wide  road- 
bed of  frozen  river,  Fran9ois,  up  at  The 
Landing,  was  doing  very  much  as  f:he  Bull 
Moose  had  feared. 

He  had  weathered  the  blizzard,  lying  huddled 
up  with  his  dogs  in  the  shelter  of  a  cut-bank,  lot 
daring  to  stir  even  for  food  till  the  fury  of  the 
icy  blast  had  passed.  He  had  even  come  to  The 
Landing  with  a  full  resolve  to  go  back  immedi- 
ately after  he  had  secured  his  outfit;  alas!  for 
the  carrying  out  of  it,  he  was  but  an  easily  influ- 
enced Half-breed.  At  The  Landing  were  several 
of  his  own  kind  down  from.  Little  Slave  Lake 
with  the  first  kill  of  Winter  fur.  With  these 
the  possession  of  money  or  goods  always  meant 
an  opportunity  for  gambling. 

Fran9ois  had  a  "  debt  credit"  at  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company's  store  equal  to  the  value  of  his 
needs ;  any  Trapper  who  has  kept  his  slatj  clean 
in  the  Company's  accounts  can  usually  get  credit 
for  a  small  outfit. 


DING 

wide  road- 
up  at  The 
;   t:he    Bull 

ig  huddled 
t-bank,  lot 
fury  of  the 
3me  to  The 
:k.  immedi- 
alas !  for 
easily  influ- 
vere  several 
3lave  Lake 
With  these 
vays  meant 

Hudson's 
alue  of  his 

latj  clean 
T  get  credit 


FRANCOIS  AT   THE    LANDING     i23 

When  the  Half-breed  had  completed  his  pur- 
chase, the  Factor  tossed  him  a  large  plug  of 
smoking  tobacco,  which  was  the  usual  terminal 
act  of  a  deal  in  goods  in  any  of  the  Company's 
posts. 

Fran9ois  filled  his  pipe,  sat  down  by  the  hot 
box-stove  with  its  roaring  fire  of  dry  Poplar- 
wood,  and  smoked,  and  spat,  and  dilated  upon 
the  severity  of  the  blizzard,  and  regaled  the  other 
occupants  of  the  Trading  Post  with  stories  of 
Wolverine's  depredations.  Suddenly  he  ceased 
speaking,  held  the  pipe  in  his  hand  hesitatingly, 
and  straightened  his  head  up  in  a  listening  atti- 
tude. The  deep,  sonorous,  monotonous  "tum- 
tum,  tum-tum,  tum-tum  "  of  a  gambling  outfit's 
drum-music  came  sleepily  to  his  acute  listening- 
ear.  It  was  like  a  blast  from  the  huntsman's 
horn  to  a  fox-hound ;  it  tingled  in  his  blood,  and 
sent  a  longing  creeping  through  his  veins. 

"  There  goes  that  Nichie  outilt  from  Slave 
Lake  again,"  cried  the  Factor,  angrily.  "  They  've 
gambled  for  three  nights ;  if  the  police  were  here 
I  'd  have  a  stop  put  to  it." 

Fran9ois  tried  to  close  his  ears  to  the  coaxing, 
throbbing,  skin-covered  tambourine  the  gambling 
party's  music-maker  was  hammering  that  still, 
frosty  night;  but  his  hearing  only  became  acuter, 
for  it  centred  more  and  more  on   the  thing   he 


2J4 


MOOSWA 


C 


X" 

•»«!>« 


''«» 
•**?« 


was  trying  to  keep  from  his  mind.  Even  the 
"Huh,  huh!  — huh,  huh!  — huh,  huh!  — huh, 
huh  !  "  of  the  half-dozen  Indians  who  sat  about 
a  blazing  camp-fire,  and  rocked  their  bodies 
and  swayed  their  arms  in  rhythmic  time,  came 
to  him  with  malevolent  fascination. 

"  I  t'ink  me  I  go  sleep,"  Fran9ois  said,  knock- 
ing the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  putting  it  in  his 
bead-worked  deerskin  fire-bag. 

"You'd  better  pull  out  sharp  in  the  .  .orning," 
commanded  the  Factor;  "young  McGregor  will 
be  running  short  of  grub  before  you  get  back." 

"  I  roun'  up  ever'  t'ing  to-night,"  returned 
Fran9ois,  "  an'  hit  de  trail  firs'  t'ing  in  de  morn- 
in',  soor.     I  make  me  de  S'ack  in  t'ree  day." 

Outside,  the  "  Tum-tum  "  called  to  him  ;  the 
"  Huh,  huh  !"  pleaded  with  him  like  the  voice  of 
a  siren.  He  would  go  and  sit  by  their  fire  just 
for  a  little,  the  Breed  reasoned  —  not  play  !  for 
more  than  once  i"\e  had  been  stripped  to  his  very 
shirt  when  luck  set  against  him.  True,  other 
times  he  had  accumulated  furs,  and  dogs,  and 
guns,  even  the  caribou-skin  coats,  and  Cow-boy 
hats  —  fine  valuable  hats  worth  ten  dollars  a 
piece,  —  when  fortune  smiled  and  he  had  guessed 
unerringly  in  which  hand  his  opponent-player 
had  hidden  the  cartridge  shell,  or  whatever  other 
token  they  used. 


FRANCOIS   AT   THE    LANDING     235 

"  Huh-huh  !  Francois  !  Huh,  Boy  —  Wel- 
come !  "  went  round  the  circle  of  squatting  figures 
when  the  Half-breed  stood  amongst  them.  The 
musician  stopped  beating  his  instrument;  sol- 
emnly each  player  and  onlooker  held  out  a  hand 
and  gave  Fran9ois  one  sharp  jerk  of  greeting. 
Two  rows  of  men  sat  facing  each  otlier,  a  big 
blanket  over  their  knees ;  room  was  made  for 
the  new  arrival. 

"  S'pose  I  not  gamble  to-night  me,"  said 
Fran9ois,  hesitatingly. 

They  laughed  in  astonishment  —  doubtingly. 

"  S'pose  you  'fraid  you  lose,  Man-who-saves- 
his-money,"  cried  a  Saltaux  Indian,  disdainfully. 

Now  a  Breed  or  an  Indian  must  not  be  accused 
of  being  afraid  of  anything ;  if  he  be,  and  submit 
to  it,  he  is  undone  for  all  time.  Half  their  bravery 
is  due  to  this  same  moral  cowardice.  Fran9ois 
hesitated,  and  the  others,  ignoring  him,  drew  the 
blanket  over  their  knees ;  the  player  secreted 
the  tokens,  and  drawing  forth  his  hands  crossed 
his  arms,  always  waving  them  in  rhythmic  time 
to  the  tum-tum.  Then  the  Man-who-guesses 
in  the  opposite  party  indicated  with  his  fingers 
where  he  thought  the  tokens  were  hidden. 

It  was  n't  in  human  blood  to  stand  out  against 
this  thing — not  generations  of  gambler  blood, 
and  Fran9ois  cried,  half  fiercely  :  "  Make  room, 
Brothers  !      We  '11  see  who  's  afraid." 


236 


MOOSWA 


c 


That  was  the  beginning.  In  the  end,  which 
came  toward  daylight,  Fran9ois  had  neither  grub- 
stake, nor  rifle,  nor  train-dogs.  Time  after  time 
he  took  in  exchange  for  some  asset  a  little  bundle 
of  Red-willow  counter  sticks  ;  time  after  time  the 
little  sticks,  some  lung  and  some  short,  dwindled 
until  they  were  ali  gone.  The  evil  fate  that  had 
been  his  down  at  the  trapping  stuck  to  him  in 
gambling. 

Broken,  and  h,  If  numbed  by  loss  of  sleep  and 
a  sense  of  impenamg  disaster,  brought  on  by  his 
despoiled  condition,  Fran9ois  crawled  off  to  a 
friend's  tepee,  laid  down  like  a  train-dog,  and 
fell  asleep. 


end,  which 
leither  grub- 
e  after  time 
little  bundle 
ter  time  the 
rt,  dwindled 
ite  that  had 
c  to  him  in 

)f  sleep  and 
lit  on  by  his 
id  off  to  a 
in-dog,  and 


MOOSWA  BRINGS  HELP  TO  THE  BOY 

MILE  after  mile  Mooswa  cut  from  the  head- 
trail  with  his  easy-swinging  rack,  the 
strong  crust  of  frozen  snow  giving  his  great 
limbs  free  play. 

The  open  bed  of  the  river  held  just  such  a  run 
as  he  liked :  no  tree  branches  to  catch  his  huge 
horns,  no  fallen  tree  giving  cover  to  a  stalking 
Panther  or  strange  Wolf  Pack ;  and,  as  W  to 
make  his  trip  perfect,  he  was  running  up  a  North 
Wind.  He  was  like  a  telegraph  operator  sitting 
at  his  clicking  instrument  with  the  wires  telling 
him  everythmg. 

"  A  brother  Moose  crossed  here,  just  a  hun- 
dred yards  ahead,"  the  Wind  whispered  one  time. 
"Wh-f-f-f-!  it  was  a  Bull,  too,"  the  scent-wind 
told  his  delicate  nostrils.  "  Ugh-wh-e-e-e-f-f-  ! 
S^kak  has  crossed  the  trial  here,  and  killed  the 
strongest  scent  left  by  any  other — disgusting 
little  brute  !  "  This  message  Mooswa  took  from 
the  wind,  and  repeated  to  himself  For  a  mile 
his  nostrils  were   simply  stricken  dumb   by  the 


238 


MOOSWA 


gill 


I 


foul  odour;  his  nos  told  him  nothing  of  other 
affairs. 

Then  for  a  matter  of  ten  miles  there  was 
but  the  sweet  breath  of  Spruce  as  the  wind 
filtered  through  a  long  point  covered  with  it. 
"  Line  clear,"  the  frosty  air  signalled,  as  Mooswa, 
taking  a  straight  course  for  the  merging  of  dark 
green  and  river-white,  raced  eagerly. 

At  the  "  Second  Rapid,"  where  the  float-ice  had 
grounded  on  rock-boulders  in  the  Autumn  clos- 
ing-time, the  river  bosom  humped  like  a  corduroy 
road.  "  I  must  remember  this  spot  on  my  coming 
back,"  Mooswa  muttered,  as  he  picked  his  way 
more  slowly  over  the  troubled  ice-road.  "  Here 
I  can  make  a  big  run  if  enemies  are  close,"  he 
added  as  a  stretch  of  many  miles  reached  away, 
level  as  a  mill  pond. 

"  Wolves !  the  Gray  Hunters !  the  Murder 
Brothers  who  go  in  packs  !"  he  said,  as  his  quick- 
feeling  nose  picked  their  presence  from  the  North 
Wind.  "  Not  Rof 's  Pack,"  he  continued,  samp- 
ling the  scent  a  little  finer  —  "  Strangers  !"  and 
he  watched  warily,  cocking  his  ears  forward  for 
a  warning  whimper. 

"  Huh  !  they  're  busy  !  "  for  as  he  flashed  over 
their  cross-trail  there  arose  the  fainter  odour  of 
Caribou.  "  Safe  journey,  cousin,"  he  muttered, 
"  and  confusion  to  the  Throat-cutters.     It 's  the 


ig  of  other 

there  was 

the    wind 

id  with   it. 

,s  Mooswa, 

ig  of  dark 

loat-ice  had 
tumn  clos- 
a  corduroy 
my  coming 
ed  his  way 
1.  "  Here 
close,"  he 
:hed  away, 

e  Murder 
his  quick- 
the  North 
ued,  samp- 
lers !  "  and 
Drward  for 

.shed  over 

•  odour  of 

muttered, 

It  *s  the 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HELP        239 

Meat-eating,  the  Blood-drinking,"  he  philoso- 
phized, "  that  breeds  all  the  enmity  in  the  Boun- 
daries. There  are  Grasses,  and  Leaves,  and 
Flowers  enough  for  all,  and  no  encroachment,  if 
we  'd  only  stick  to  it ;  but  eating  one's  Comrades 
is  what  makes  the  trouble." 

Just  before  daylight  Mooswa  stoppri,  climbed 
up  a  sloping  bank  warily,  and  ate  a  light  break- 
fast; then  slipped  back  to  the  river-bed,  hud- 
dled up  in  the  lee  of  a  clay-cut,  and  after  lesting 
for  two  hours  pushed  on  again.  Another  ten 
miles  and  he  stopped  like  a  flash,  holding  his 
head  straight  up  wind,  the  coarse,  strong-grow- 
ing hairs  over  his  withers  vibrating  with  intens- 
ity. "Sniff!  sniff!  Dogs!  Man!  Rof  said 
nothing  of  Dogs.  This  makes  it  more  com- 
plj'^ated.  It  is  the  scent  o:  V^^hite  Men,  and 
the  Dog-smell  is  not  that  of  Huskies.  These 
Whites  sometimes  bring  the  long-legged  crea- 
tures that  follow  us  like  Wolves." 

He  worked  cautiously  down  the  river  till  his 
eyes  caught  sight  of  a  blue  smoke-feather  float- 
ing   lazily    upward. 

Five  or  six  short  steps  at  a  time,  three  or  four 
yards  he  moved,  —  then  stopped  and  watched 
with  eyes,  ears,  nose,  and  all  his  full  sensibility. 
He  knew  the  Man-trick  of  a  flank  movement  — 
he  must  get  them  out  on  the  river  bv^hind  him  ; 


240 


MOOSWA 


•  >ltt 


^'i 


besides,  there  was  now  the  stronger,  more  certain 
odour  of  Dogs. 

He  was  perhaps  a  matter  of  half  a  mile  from 
the  little  Shack  above  which  twisted  the  spiral 
curl  of  smoke,  when  a  fierce,  strong-throated 
'•■  Yap  !  yap  !  Whe-e-e,  yap  !  "  cut  the  frosty  air. 

"  I  thought  bn,"  Mooswa  muttered.  "  I  know 
that  breed  —  the  fierce-fanged  ones  the  Scotch 
Factor  had  at  Fort  Resolution  —  from  his  own 
Boundaries  across  the  sea  they  came.  They  are 
like  the  Men  themselves  —  on,  on,  rush  and  hold. 
Deep-chested,  small-gutted  as  Caribou ;  with 
long  legs  that  carry  them  over  the  snow  like 
those  of  my  own  family;  gray-haired  and  strong- 
jawed,  like  Blue  Wolf:  but  weak  in  the  feet  — 
small-footed,  with  hair  between  their  toes  which 
balls  up  in  the  snow  and  makes  them  go  lame." 
Then  Mooswa  considered  the  task  he  had  under- 
taken. 

"  If  the  Man  slips  the  Dogs,  and  the  snow 
keeps  hard  and  dry,  there  will  be  more  fighting 
than  running,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  for  these 
brutes  will  come  faster  than  I  care  to  go.  But 
there  is  a  strong  crust,  strong  enough  to  bear 
me,  and  if  the  sun  warms  the  snow  so  that  it  will 
ball  in  the  haired  toes,  then  I  '11  have  a  chance  in 
the  run.  The  Man  moves,"  he  continued,  whif- 
fing at  the  air.     "  Two  of  them  !  "  he  muttered. 


ore  certain 

,  mile  from 
the  spiral 

ig-throated 

;  frosty  air. 
"  I  know 

the  Scotch 

m  his  own 
They  are 

i  and  hold. 

bou ;  with 
snow  like 

md  strong- 
the  feet  — 
toes  which 
go  lame." 

had  under- 

the  snow 
)re  fighting 
for  these 
go.  But 
h  to  bear 
that  it  will 
L  chance  in 
lued,  whif- 
muttered. 


cc 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HELP        241 

as  their  forms  outlined  against  the  morning  sky  ; 
Rof  brought  tidings  of  but  one.     Now  for  it ! 


<( 


I 


B< 


1  comir^^ 

He  turned  and  walked  slowly  back  on  his 
track,  breaking  into  a  shuffling  trot  farther  on. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  two  men,  snow-shoe  clad, 
rifle  in  hand,  and  cartridge-belted,  reappeared  cir- 
cling through  the  woods  on  the  bank.  With 
one  of  them  were  four  Scotch  Stag-hounds  in 
leash.  Mooswa's  eyes  took  in  the  situation  as 
he  trotted,  carrying  his  head  a  little  to  one  side. 
"  The  flank  movement,"  he  muttered,  "  and  a 
stolen  shot  at  the  next  bend  —  they  '11  not  slip 
the  Dogs  while  they  have  hope  of  a  shot." 

When  the  first  river-bank  point  hid  him  from 
their  sight  he  raced.  "They're  running  now," 
he  thought,  for  he  was  down  wind  from  them, 
and  the  telegraph  was  working. 

When  the  two  hunters  reached  the  belly  of 
the  next  bend  they  saw  a  big  Bull  Moose  quietly 
browsing  at  the  point  beyond.  He  was  walk- 
ing slowly,  snipping  at  the  tree  branches  as  he 
moved. 

"  Keep  the  dogs  back,"  one  hunter  said  ;  "we 
are  sure  to  get  a  quiet  shot  at  him,  for  he*s  on 
the  feed." 

Point    after    point,    bend     succeeding    bend, 

Mooswa  played  this  game ;  mile  after  mile  they 

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242 


MOOSWA 


toiled,  the  tantalizing  expectation  of  a  stolen  shot 
leading  them  an  amazing  distance  on  the  Moose 
trail. 

"  It  *s  the  Stag-hounds  that  keep  him  moving," 
remarked  the  man  who  had  spoken  before  ;  "he's 
down  wind,  and  gets  them  in  his  big,  fat  nose  — 
if  I  could  rustle  a  shot  into  his  carcass,  I  *d  slip 
them  quick  enough ;  but  if  we  let  them  go 
now  it  will  be  a  play  of  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
before  we  get  another  sight  of  him.  I  'm  not 
struck  on  following  a  Bull  Moose  under  full  trot 
with  a  pack  of  dogs  behind  him." 

"  We  '11  get  a  shot  on  the  quiet  soon,"  re- 
marked his  comrade.  "  He  is  a  bit  on  edge  just 
now,  but  will  settle  down  after  he  has  seen  us  a 
few  times."  They  had  given  up  travelling  in  the 
bush,  and  were  following  straight  on  the  hoof- 
marks  in  the  river-bed. 

"  Hello !  "  sang  out  one,  pointing  to  a  depres- 
sion in  the  snow,  "  he  's  been  lying  down  resting 
here  —  he's  getting  fagged.  Somebody  else  must 
have  been  running  him  before  we  struck  his  trail 
—  he's  nearly  beat." 

As  they  crossed  the  Wolf  trail  Mooswa  had 
found  on  his  way  down,  the  Trapper  in  the  lead 
said,  significantly,  "  It 's  the  Gray  Hunters  have 
done  the  Bull  up  ;  they  've  been  after  him,  and 
he 's  dead   beat." 


stolen  shot 
:he  Moose 

1  moving," 
ore;  "he's 
fat  nose  — 
5S,  I  'd  slip 
t  them  go 
thirty  miles 
I  'm  not 
der  full  trot 

soon,"  re- 
)n  edge  just 
s  seen  us  a 
jlling  in  the 
1  the  hoof- 
to  a  depres- 
own  resting 
ly  else  must 
ick  his  trail 

looswa  had 
in  the  lead 

unters  have 
r  him,  and 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HELP        243 

The  hig  Stag-hounds  sniffed  the  Wolf  trail, 
dropped  their  long,  bony  tails  in  sullen  fear, 
raised  their  heads,  and  bayed  a  howling  note 
of  defiance. 

"  Shut  up,  Bruce  !  "  exclaimed  one  of  the  men, 
pulling  at  the  raw-hide  leash,  "  you  '11  be  better 
up  against  a  Moose  than  tackling  that  gang." 

Now  the  mark  in  the  snow  had  been  made  by 
Mooswa  just  to  draw  the  hunters  on  ;  he  was  n't 
tired,  for  the  hard  crust  held  him  up,  and  he 
could   have   kept  that  gait  for  two  days. 

They  had  travelled  probably  thirty  miles  when 
the  leader  said,  "  Better  slip  the  dogs,  Mac,  this 
Moose  is  putting  up  a  game  on  us  ;  he 's  as 
cunning  as  an  old  fox,  and  we  '11  lose  him  to- 
night, I  *m  afraid." 

When  the  straps  were  unbuckled  the  Scotch 
hounds  broke  into  a  chorus  of  delight :  "  Yi,  yi, 
yi,  yi !  yap  !  yap  !  yi,  yi  !  Bah-h-h  !  Bah-h-h  !  " 
stretched  their  long  limbs  and  raced  on  the  Bull 
Moose's  trail.  That  showed  a  strain  of  Collie 
blood  in  their  veins,  for  if  they  had  been  pure 
bred  they  would  have  run  silent,  and  by  sight 
only. 

"  Pleasant  greeting  that,"  muttered  Mooswa, 
as  his  flanks  lengthened  out  in  a  terrific  pacing 
gait. 


(( 


W 


e  re   commg  —  we  re    commg  !    yi,    yi 


244 


MOOSWA 


^ 

r*"* 
°'*i« 

f"^ 


sang  the  Stag-hounds,  their  heads  low  to  the 
snow;  their  lean  flanks  stretching  out  until  they 
seemed  like  something  shot  from  a  catapult. 
But  swift  as  they  were,  Mooswa  was  swifter. 
They  were  running  at  high  pressure,  straining 
every  nerve,  using  every  ounce  of  speed  that  was 
in  their  wire-haired  bodies  ;  the  Bull  was  running 
with  a  little  in  hand  —  something  in  reserve. 
"  They  will  upset  everything,"  he  thought. 
"Those  blood  thirsters  will  chase  me  on  past 
the  Shack,  and  the   Men  may  never  see  it." 

At  the  Second  Rapid,  with  its  tortuous  ice- 
humps,  the  Bull  lost  a  little  ground  —  he  had  to 
go  slower.  The  dogs,  quicker  of  foot,  and  able 
to  turn  sharper,  gained  on  him.  Each  time  they 
caught  sight  of  their  prey  they  gave  a  savage 
yelp  of  eager  exultation,  and  ran  with  heads  high 
—  ran  by  the  eye. 

"  Sing,  gaunt  Brothers  !  "  said  Mooswa;  "on 
the  level  you  Ml  have  to  run  with  your  bellies 
closer  to  the  trail  to  keep  your  advantage." 

Well  clear  of  the  Rapid  ice,  the  Bull  again 
swung  his  awkward-looking  body  forward  with 
increased  pace.  Suddenly  a  hoof  crashed  through 
the  crust  almost  bringing  him  on  his  nose ;  be- 
fore he  had  gone  a  hundred  yards  this  happened 
again.  Fringed  by  giant  Spruce,  tall  banks  on 
either  side  had  stood  as  barrier  between  the  fierce 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HELP        245 


ow   to    the 
:  until  they 
1    catapult, 
vas   swifter, 
e,  straining 
ed  that  was 
,vas  running 
in    reserve, 
e     thought, 
ne  on    past 
see  it." 
)rtuous    ice- 
—  he  had  to 
ot,  and  able 
:h  time  they 
ve  a  savage 
1  heads  high 


<( 


)oswa ;  "  on 
your  bellies 
antage." 
;  Bull  again 
"orward  with 
hed  through 
s  nose ;  be- 
lis  happened 
ill  banks  on 
:en  the  fierce 


biting  frost-wind  and  snow  crust ;  also  the  day's 
hot  su.i  was  beginning  to  rot  its  brittle  shell. 
Oftener  and  oftener  it  broke  under  the  racing 
Moose ;  the  lighter  dogs  ran  freely  over  its 
treacherous  surface.  The  Bull  looked  over  his 
shoulder  at  his  pursuers  ;  they  were  gaining  —  he 
could  see  that.  "  Six  points  more  to  the  Shack," 
he  muttered,  as  he  rounded  a  low-reaching  head- 
land that  turned  the  river  wide  in  its  snake-like 
course.  Animals  count  river  distances  as  do  the 
Indians,  so  many  land  points  from  one  place  to 
another ;  Mooswa's  six  points  were  a  good  ten 
miles. 

Each  time  he  floundered  in  the  deep  Snow  his 
swift-running  enemies  gained  at  least  a  dozen 
yards. 

"  I  wish  Blue  Wolf  were  here,"  thought 
Mooswa;  "  I  '11  never  make  the  Shack.  I  '11  try 
a  Boundary  Call."  He  stretched  his  throat,  and 
called,  "  Wha-a-a  —  i-i-n-g,"  which  is  not  unlike 
the  cry  of  a  Rook.  The  hounds  answered  with 
an  ironical  yell  ;  but  another  sound  struck  the 
runner's  ear,  very  faint,  and  very  far  ahead  ;  it 
was  the  Help-call  of  The  Boundaries  —  Blue 
Wolf's  voice. 

"  Good  old  Rof !  "  cried  the  Moose,  as  he  shot 
forward  with  revived  strength. 

The  hounds  were  now  running  by  sight,  head 


246 


MOOSWA 


up  all  the  time.  Every  few  minutes  Mooswa 
repeated  his  signal  —  each  time  it  was  answered 
ahead,  stronger  and  closer;  and  behind  him  the 
eager  yap  !  of  the  pursuers  was  drawing  nearer. 
"There'll  be  more  fighting  than  running  pres- 
ently," he  thought;  "it's  just  as  well  —  if  Rof 
has  the  Pack,  it  won't  take  long  to  settle  these 
hungry   Hunters." 

Rounding  the  next  bend  a  clear  stretch  of  two 
miles  lay  straight  away,  and  at  the  farther  end  of 
it  his  trained  eye  discovered  three  moving  specks. 
Behind  him,  not  thirty  yards  back,  raced  the 
dogs. 

"  It  will  be  a  battle,"  he  muttered  ;  "  four 
against  four  —  four  of  the  Boundaries  in  the 
Starvation  Year,  against  four  Fish-fed  Dwellers 
in  Man's  camp." 

Another  mile  and  the  foremost  dog  was  snap- 
ping at  the  Bull's  hocks,  just  falling  short  each 
jump;  but  Blue  Wolf  and  his  comrades  were 
only  a  stone's-throw  off. 

As  Mooswa  and  his  pursuers  neared  the  great, 
gaunt,  blue-coated  Wolf,  the  latter  crouched  — 
chest,  and  neck,  and  jaw  flat  on  the  snow ;  be- 
hind, well  spread  in  rigid  leverage,  were  the  strong, 
gnarled  legs.  A  length  off  two  younger  wolves 
waited  ready  for  battle,  flat-lying  as  their  leader. 
Mooswa  understood.     As  he    slashed    by   Blue 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HELP        247 

Wolf,  almost  touching  him,  the  close-following 
Stag-hound  sprang  for  his  quarters,  all  but 
dragging  him  to  earth  ;  hut  the  fangs  failed  to 
hold,  tearing  a  gash  down  Moose's  thigh,  and  as 
the  Dog  fell  sideways  a  pair  of  jaws,  strong  as  a 
bear-trap,  closed  on  his  lean  throat. 

"Hold  fast.  Brother!"  wheezed  Mooswa, 
swinging  around  in  his  own  length,  and  making  a 
vicious  sword-cut  at  the  hound's  back  with  his 
iron  hoof.  A  second  dog  sprang  at  the  Bull's 
throat,  only  to  strike  the  big  antlers  quickly 
lowered  to  guard  it. 

Rof's  two  sons  had  closed  with  the  other 
hounds,  and  a  battle  to  the  death  raged.  There 
was  not  much  noise,  only  a  snarling  sucking  from 
where  Blue  Wolf's  fangs  were  fastened  in  the 
throat  of  the  hound  he  had  pinned  down. 

Once  Mooswa  got  a  clean  slash  at  his  fighting 
dog  with  a  fore-foot  that  laid  the  brute's  shoulder 
open ;  once  the  dog  fastened  in  Mooswa's  throat 
as  the  treacherous  crust  gave  way  and  threw  him 
off  his  guard.  It  seemed  anybody's  battle.  Blue 
Wolf  knew  better  than  to  let  go  the  first  hold  he 
had  taken.  It  was  said  in  the  Boundaries  that 
long  ago,  two  or  three  generations  back,  a  Bull- 
dog had  mated  with  one  of  his  ancestors,  and  the 
strong  strain  had  more  than  held  its  own  —  the 
way  of  the   Bull-dog,  which  is  to  catch  and  hold. 


248 


MOOSWA 


c 


>:ll 
"**( 


against  the  way  of  the  Wolf,  which  is  to  cut  and 
jump,  cut  and  jump.  Certain  it  is  that  Rof  fought 
as  no  other  Wolf  ever  did  —  except  his  two  Sons, 
holding  and  sucking,  and  working  his  jaws  saw- 
like, as  an  Otter-hound  does,  more  and  more  into 
the  grip.  But  the  Stag-hound  had  a  well-fed 
strength  which  stood  him  in  good  stead.  Over 
and  over  the  two  rolled ;  the  hound's  jaws  fas- 
tened on  one  of  Blue  Wolf's  fore-legs,  close  to  the 
paw.  The  bone  had  been  broken  long  ago  — 
chewed  into  splinters,  and  the  pain  was  terrific ; 
but  if  Blue  Wolf  had  the  tenacity  of  the  Bull- 
dog strain,  he  also  had  the  wild  wisdom  of  the 
Wolf  brain,  and  he  knew  that  to  let  go  meant 
death. 

Once  something  swept  the  hound  sideways 
with  terrific  force  from  over  the  top  of  Rof,  al- 
most breaking  the  dog's  back ;  that  was  a  little 
side  help  from  the  shovel-horns  of  Bull  Moose. 
Up  to  that  time  it  had  been  all  hoarse  growls 
from  the  strong-fighting  animals,  for  the  advan- 
tage had  lain  not  much  on  either  side.  Suddenly 
a"Wh-u-f-f!  ki-yi-yi-yi  —  wh-e-e-e,  yi-i-i,"  dying 
into  a  piercing  treble,  went  up.  Mooswa  was 
grinding  his  dog  into  the  snow-crust  with  his 
hundred-pound  antlers.  A  lucky  pass  with  a 
fore-foot  had  brought  the  hound  down,  and  before 
)"e  could  recover,  Mooswa  had  thrown  the  weight 


to  cut  and 
Rof  fought 
s  two  Sons, 
15  jaws  saw- 
1  more  into 
a  well-fed 
sad.  Over 
's  jaws  fas- 
close  to  the 
ong  ago  — 
/as  terrific ; 
f  the  Bull- 
lom  of  the 
t  go  meant 

d  sideways 
of  Rof,  al- 
was  a  little 
uU  Moose. 
irse  growls 
the  advan- 

Suddenly 
■i-i,"  dying 
ooswa   was 

with  his 
ftss  with  a 
and  before 
the  weight 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HKLP        249 

of  his  fighting  charge  upon  him,  and  was  cutting 
his  steel-gray  bod)  into  fragments. 

There  was  still  hot  work  to  be  done,  for  one  of 
the  young  Wolves  had  been  overcome,  stretched 
out  with  a  broken  neck,  and  the  released  dog 
was  helping  his  comrade  pull  down  the  other. 
They  were  both  at  him  when  Mooswa  charged. 
Once,  twice,  three  times,  as  a  trip-hammer  hits 
hot  iron,  the  heart-shaped  hoofs,  knife-like  on 
the  edges,  smote  the  dogs,  for  "hey  were  taken 
unawares ;  then,  as  before,  his  horns  made  the 
work  complete. 

As  Mooswa  straightened  himself  a  little  stag- 
geringly, for  his  throat  was  badly  torn,  there  were 
only  two  left  fighting ;  all  the  rest  were  dead  — 
the  two  sons  of  Blue  Wolf,  and  the  three  Stag- 
hounds. 

"  Thanks,  Brother,"  said  Blue  Wolf,  rising 
on  weak  legs,  as  a  deft,  dragging  blow  from 
Moose's  right  arm  laid  open  the  hound's  stomach, 
and  finished  the  work  Rof's  fast-tiring  strength 
was  hardly  equal  to.  "  Very  neatly  done  —  I 
could  almost  fancy  it  was  a  rip  from  Muskwa's 
paw.  My  two  Lads  are  done  for,"  he  whined 
piteously,  looking  at  the  gaunt,  gray  bodies 
stretched  out  on  the  white  snow,  all  splashed 
crimson  with  red  wine  from  their  veins.  "  Wolf- 
blood   and    Dog-blood  —  it  scents  much    alike," 


250 


MOOSWA 


he  said,  turning  his  head  away,  as  he  sat  on  his 
haunches  holding  up  a  lirokcn  leg.  Drip,  drip- 
drip,  drip,  little  red  drops  ate  their  hot  way  into 
the  snow  from  BuU-Moosc's  neck. 

"That  is  a  nasty  slash,  Mooswa,"  sympathized 
Blue  Wolf,  looking  at  his  companion's  wound. 

"  We  twig-feeders  have  strong  gullets,"  an- 
swered the  Bull,  "  else  it  had  been  worse. 
There's  nothing  torn,  for  I  still  breathe  through 
my  nose  ;  but  for  many  a  day  you  '11  hunt  on 
three  legs  because  of  me,  Comrade." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  moaned  Blue  Wolf,  regret- 
fully, licking  nervously  at  his  crushed  paw.  "  1  '11 
mate  well  with  Black  King.  But  it  is  all  in  the 
life  of  the  Pack,  and  not  your  fault ;  no  one 
takes  blame  to  himself  who  calls  when  his  life  is 
at  bay.  Where  go  you.  Brother  —  how  far  back 
are  the  Hunters  ?  " 

Mooswa  straightened  his  head  sharp  into  the 
wind  —  it  still  held  steady  from  the  North. 
"  Their  scent  comes  from  the  second  point,  and 
we  must  trail  again ;  the  Firestick  is  not  like  a 
Dog  —  it  bites  beyond  reach.  Get  in  my  horns, 
Rof,  and  I  '11  carry  you." 

"  No,"  said  Blue  Wolf,  decidedly  ;  "  each  takes 
his  own  hurt  to  his  Burrow  —  that  is  the  way  of 
the  Pack;  each  to  himself  in  the  fight  —  one 
down  is  all  on  top.     Besides,  Comrade,  your  long 


5at  on  his 
)rip,  drip- 
t  way  into 

mpathized 
wound. 
lUets,"  an- 
cn  worse. 
Ke  through 
I   hunt    on 

olf,  regret- 
raw.  "I'll 
5  all  in  the 
It;  no  one 
n  his  life  is 
3W  far  back 

•p  into  the 
le  North, 
point,  and 
not  like  a 
my  horns, 

each  takes 
the  way  of 
fight  —  one 
, your  long 


MOUSVVA    BRINGS    HELP        251 

legs  are  kncckiiig  together  in  weariness;  the 
snow  drinks   nuicli   of  your  rcil   hlood." 

"  Conic,"  culled  Mooswa,  "  the  Man-scent 
turns  the  first  point." 

Blue  Wolt,  whining  piteously,  was  rubbing  his 
red-stained  jowl  up  the  neck  of  one  of  his  tlead 
Sons.  He  turned,  balanced  himself  unsteadily, 
and  tried  to  kick  snow  over  their  dead  bodies. 
Bull-Moose,  seeing  this,  lowered  his  head,  gave 
three  or  four  mighty  scrapes  with  his  wide  horns, 
and  piled  great  white  mounds  over  Blue  Wolf's 
dead    children. 

"  Come  away  now,"  he  commanded  again ; 
"the   Hunt-men  sight  us  —  they  are  racing." 

"They'll  have  a  fair  trail  to  follow  for  a 
little,"  answered  Wolf;  "  then  it  will  be  dark, 
and  we  'II  lose  them.  I  go  to  the  Pack  for 
safety  ;  had  I  known  of  the  Dogs  and  this  other 
Man  I  should  have  brought  more  than  two  Cub- 
wolves." 

"  I  go  to  the  Shack,"  said  Mooswa,  shortening 
his  steps  to  keep  pace  with  Wolf. 

"To  be  killed  by  the  Hunt-men  ? " 

"  I  don't  know;  I  go  to  The  Boy." 

As  they  climbed  the  bank,  "  Bang  !  pin-g-g-g  !  " 
sang  a  leaden  messenger,  fairly  whistling  through 
the  crotches  of  Mooswa's  horns. 

"  The  Firestick  !  "  he  grunted  ;  "  sight  of  his 


252 


MOOSWA 


(lead  Train-dogs  has  angered  the  Hunt-man. 
SlipofFto  your  Viick  now,"  he  continued,  as  they 
trailed  througli  the  little  clearing  surrounding  the 
Shack.  "  (let  Uinisk  to  fix  up  your  foot  as  he 
did  Black   King's." 

"And  you?"  queried  Blue  Wolf. 

"  I  stop  here  !  "  the  other  answered,  swaying  as 
he  stood  in  his  tracks  for  a  second. 

"  Come  with  me,"  pleaded  Rof ;  "  my  Pack 
shall  turn  back  the  Hunters." 

"Here  they  come  —  off  to  the  Woods!" 
Mooswa  answered,  going  himself  to  the  Shack 
door  and  rattling  his  horns  against  the  boards. 
The  noise  wakened  Whisky-Jack,  who  had  curled 
up  for  his  night's  sleep  under  the  eave. 

"  Thieves  !  —  Hello,  Mooswa  !  "  he  piped, 
craning  his  neck  around  the  corner,  and  seeing 
the  big  horned  head. 

Inside  a  faint  querulous  voice  asked  im- 
patiently, "  Is  that  you,  Francois,  or  is  it  the 
angels  with  wood?  If  it  is,  throw  it  down  the 
chimney,  please  —  I  'm  too  sick  to  get  up." 

Mooswa  "  whuffed,"  blowing  the  wind  through 
his  blood-coated  nostrils  with  a  sound  The  Boy 
knew,  and  scraped  his  horn  up  and  down  the 
door  again.  There  was  a  muffled,  slipping  noise 
of  some  one  crawling  to  the  door.  The  bar 
dropped,  Mooswa  pushed  it  gently  open,  stag- 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HKI.F 


Hunt-man. 
ucd,  as  they 
oiuuling  the 
r  foot  as  he 


,  swaying  as 

"  my  Pack 

Woods  !  " 

the    Shack 

the  boards. 

0  had  curled 
e. 

he    piped, 
and  seeing 

asked  im- 
or  is  it  the 
it  down  the 
it  up." 
'ind  through 
id  The  Boy 

1  down  the 
ipping  noise 

The   bar 
open,  stag- 


es 


v) 


gered  in,  and  plumped  down  exhausted  on  the 
floor. 

Carcajou  had  heaped  the  fire-place  well  with 
wood  for  the  night  —  dry  'I'amarack  to  make  it 
blaze,  and  green  Poplar  to  make  it  last;  the 
bright  light  shone  on  Mooswa's  blood-matted 
body  and  revealed  to  Ro''*Tick  his  terrible 
condition. 

"  Mooswa,  Mooswa  !  "  he  cried,  dragging  him- 
self close  and  putting  his  arm  around  the  big 
nose,  "  who  has  done  this  ?  You  are  wounded." 
Just  then  two  men,  with  the  blood-thirst  of  the 
chase  hot  in  their  hearts,  glided  to  the  door  on 
snow-shoes.  One  had  thrust  forward  a  rifle,  but 
his  companion  knocked  it  up  with  his  arm. 
"What  would  you  shoot?"   he  asked. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  the  other,  his 
Winchester  almost  falling  from  shaking  fingers, 
as  he  caught  sight  of  a  small  boy-figure  huddled 
against  the  animal's  head.  "  Is  it  a  banshee, 
Donald  ?  "  he  continued,  in  a  frightened,  husky 
whisper. 

"  Is  that  you,  Fran9ois  ?  "  cried  Rod,  sitting  up 
in  his  eagerness,  as  the  voices  came  to  him  from 
the  outer  dusk. 

"  Great  Powers!"  exclaimed  the  man  Donald, 
stepping  through  the  door,  "that's  Facte  >r 
McGregor's  kid,  Rod.      I  heard  he  was    down 


254 


MOOSWA 


U^     -■'>..« 


here  somewhere  trapping  with  that  Breed,  Fran- 
9ois.  What  *s  the  matter,  Laddie  ?  "  the  thick 
Scotch  voice  burred. 

"  Well,  1  'm  hanged  if  I  ever  outspanned  any- 
thing like  this,"  said  the  other  man  ;  "  it 's  like 
that  thing  we  used  to  read,  *  Babes  in  the  W^oods.' " 

"Where's  your  mate — Francois?"  asked 
Donald  again.  "  And  what 's  the  matter  with 
you  —  scurvy  ^  " 

"  Fran9ois,"  answered  the  Boy  hesitatingly,  for 
days  of  wound-fever  had  clouded  his  young  brain, 
—  "  Fran9ois  ?  oh,  yes,  1  remember  —  he  went  to 
The  Landing  long  ago." 

"  And  left  a  kid  like  that  here  alone  !  "  cried 
Donald's  companion. 

"  What 's  the  matter  with  your  leg  —  scurvy  ?  ** 
asked  the  leader  again. 

"My  leg?  yes,  it's  sore  —  awfully  sore. 
Sometimes  I  dream  that  it 's  another  person, 
and  I   talk  to  it." 

"  What 's  the  matter  with  it  ?  "  the  man  reiter- 
ated huskily,  pulling  the  roll  of  a  fur  cap  down 
over  his  eyes  to  hide  something,  for  the  little, 
pale,  pinched  face,  backed  by  a  mass  of  yellow 
knotted  hair,  made  him  feel  queer. 

"  My  leg  ^  oh,  yes  —  yes,  there  was  so  much 
snow,  and  I   slipped,  and  the  axe  cut  it." 

"  Better  get  in   the    blankets.    Laddie ; "    and 


MOOSWA   BRINGS   HELP 


255 


one !  "  cried 


standing  his  rifle  against  the  wall  Donald  reached 
down  with  his  strong  arms  to  lift  up  Roderick. 

The  little  fellow  shrank  away,  and  clasped  the 
Moose's  head  closer.  Mooswa's  big  ears  were 
flipping  back  and  forth  nervously  ;  he  knew  that 
something  was  being  settled,  and  lay  still,  waiting. 

"  Come,  Laddie,"  said  the  big  man  again,  coax- 
ingly,  "  don't  be  afraid  ;  don't  you  remember  me  ? 
—  I  worked  for  your  daddy,  old  Factor  Mc- 
Gregor, at  Fort  Resolution  —  Donald  Bain  is 
my  name." 

The  small  pinched  face  looked  up  at  him. 
"  I  'm  not  afraid,  but  you  'II  hurt  Mooswa ; 
you've  shot  him  now  —  see  the  blood.  He's 
been  taking  care  of  me." 

Donald  Bain  straightened  himself  up  and 
looked  at  his  comrade.  His  companion  under- 
stood, and  nodded  encouragingly. 

"  No,  Laddie,  I  'II  give  you  the  word  of  a 
Scotchman  that  we  '11  not  harm  him.  God's 
truth !  in  the  old  land  if  one's  enemy  came  hard 
pressed  to  the  house  for  shelter  it  would  be  a 
blackguard  that  would  injure  him,  or  give  him 
away.  Get  in  the  blankets,  now.  Laddie,  and 
we  '11  take  care  of  both  you  and  the  Moose." 

The  presence  of  friends,  and  a  cup  of  hot  tea 
which  they  brewed  him,  soothed  The  Boy,  and  he 
became  quite  rational. 


256 


MOOSWA 


"  This  is  the  queerest  thing  I  ever  saw  in 
my  life,"  said  Donald  Bain.  "  I  've  heard  of  a 
hunted  fox,  close  run,  taking  refuge  in  a  house, 
but  thij:  Moose  staggering  into  the  Shack  is  very 
extraordinary.  Who  kept  the  fire  going  and  fed 
you,  McGregor.''**  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  I  prayed  every  night,  and  in  the  day  too, 
and  the  Angels  came  and  dropped  wood  down 
the  chimney,  and  fish,  and  bacon." 

Donald's  companion  tapped  his  forehead  sig- 
nificantly, and,  turning  his  face  away,  stalked  over 
to  the  fire  and  poked  it  vigorously. 

"  Mooswa  came  every  day,"  added  The  Boy. 
"  He 's  the  Moose  Father  used  to  have  at  the 
Fort — I  didn't  know  him  at  first,  and  was 
afraid." 

"  Oh,  ho-0-0 ! "  exclaimed  the  big  man,  end- 
ing with  a  distinct  whistle.  "  I  remember  him. 
He  took  to  the  bush  when  he  was  a  two-year-old. 
That  accounts  for  his  coming  to  the  Shack  —  he 
could  n't  quite  shake  off  the  civilization  he  got. 
Here,  Dave,"  he  continued,  addressing  the 
other  man,  "  get  a  pail  of  water,  and  give  the 
wounded  beast  a  drink." 

"  He  *s  killed  four  of  the  best  hounds  ever 
came  to  the  North-west,'*  Dave  remonstrated, 
looking  at   Mooswa. 

"  So  would  you,  man,  if  you  could,  when  they 


er  saw  in 
leard  of  a 
1  a  house, 
ick  is  very 
ng  and  fed 

le  day  too, 
ood  down 

ehead  sig- 
:alked  over 

The  Boy. 

lave  at  the 
,   and   was 

man,  end- 
smber  him. 
^0-year-old. 
)hack  —  he 
ion  he  got. 
essing  the 
id  give  the 

Dunds   ever 
monstrated, 

,  when  they 


MOOSWA    BRINGS    HKLP        257 

tried  to  pull  you  down.     It  was  a  fair  fight,  and 
not  of  his  seeking  either." 

The  Boy  also  pleaded  for  Mooswa. 

"  Now,  we  Ve  got  to  get  young  McGregor  to 
The  Landing  just  as  quick  as  we  can,"  declared 
Donald  Bain,  as  he  examined  The  Boy's  limb. 
"  Look  at  the  size  of  it —  it  *11  be  a  case  of  blood- 
poisoning,  I  *m  afeerd." 

"  How  will  you  manage  it? "  queried  Dave,  sul- 
lenly. "  This  brute  has  killed  our  dogs  —  will 
you  carry  him  on  your  shoulders  ?  " 

"  That 's  so,"  mused  Donald,  taking  off  his 
cap,  and  scratching  the  thick  grizzled  hair;  "I 
suppose  we  *11  have  to  rig  up  a  carryall,  and  pull 
him  ourselves." 

"  You  want  to  go  to  The  Landing  ?  "  asked 
Roderick. 

"  We  don't  want  to  —  "commenced  Donald, 
but  checked  himself,  and  added,  "  yes,  me  and 
Dave  must  go  up  for  more  dogs,  and  some 
baccy,"  fabricating  with  chivalrous  ingenuity,  to 
reassure  the  sick  boy.  "  We  was  thinking  you  'd 
better  go  along  too  ;  there 's  no  dog-train,  but  me 
and  Dave  could  track  you  up  on  a  small  jumper 
—  does  there  happen  to  be  one  about  ?  " 

"I  think  Mooswa  would  drag  the  sleigh  — 
he  used  to  at  the  Fort,"  suggested  Rod. 

"  By   the    Great   Wallace ! "    exclaimed    Bain, 

17 


258 


MOOSWA 


I 


slapping  his  thigh,  "that  he  will — if  he's  not 
grown  too  wild.  Hitched  to  a  sled,  he  could 
run  clean  away  from  a  dog-train,  in  the  old 
days." 

"  He  *s  been  harnessed  right  enough,  some  time 
or  another,"  declared  Dave.  "  Here  are  two 
white-haired  spots  on  his  back  —  that  means 
saddle-galls.  Gracious  !  he  's  as  quiet  as  an  old 
horse." 

They  put  in  a  busy  evening,  the  two  men, 
bathing  The  Boy's  leg,  and  with  a  sailor's  needle 
they  found  'n  his  outfit  sewing  up  the  torn 
wounds  in  Mooswa's  neck.  He  never  moved, 
just  looked  en  stolidly.  He  knew  they  meant 
him  no  harm.  Any  animal  can  tell  from  the 
touch  of  a  man's  finger,  or  the  look  in  his  eye 
whether  it 's  war  or  kindness. 

Whisky-Jack  had  been  intensely  interested  in 
all  this  —  the  clatter  and  noise  kept  even  his 
bird  eyes  open.  "  Wonderful  doings  !  "  he  ex- 
claimed ;  "the  Boundaries  are  being  turned  into  a 
regular  Sun-dance  ~  but  I'm  glad  I  saw  it  all. 
The  Boy  will  be  all  right  now  —  Good  old 
Mooswa!'^  He  flopped  about  drunkenly  out- 
side, for  his  eyes  were  not  quite  like  Owl's,  and 
the  diflferent  lights  bothered  him. 

Then  he  fired  a  word  of  encouragement  at 
Mooswa.     "  Stick     to    The     Boy,   old    Dainty- 


if  he's  not 
i,  he  could 
in   the    old 

1,  some  time 
:re  are  two 
that  means 
t  as  an  old 

;  two  men, 
lor's  needle 
p  the  torn 
ver  moved, 
they  meant 
1  from  the 
in  his  eye^ 

iterested  in 
t  even  his 
3 !  "  he  ex- 
irned  into  a 
saw  It  all. 
—  Good  old 
ikenly  out- 
Owl's,  and 

agement  at 
Id    Dainty- 


MOOSWA    BRINGS   HELP        259 

head-gear;  you're  Big  Buck  of  the  Bound- 
aries-I'll  tell  Black  King  and  all  the  fellows 
so.  Stupid  light  this  — fancy  they'll  get  on 
without  me  now,"  and  scrambling  up  to  the 
eave  he  stuck  his  head  under  wing  and  went 
fast  asleep. 

In  the  morning  a  carryall  was  made,  a  rude 
harness  constructed  from  shaganappi, 'IVap-chains, 
and  straps,  and  before  noon  they  were  on  their 
way  to  The  Landing;  Mooswa  submitting  to  be 
hitched  up  with  patient  gentleness. 

Whisky-Jack  grinned  when  he  saw  the  Moose 
decked  out  in  these  trappings.  "Now  you're 
a  dandy,  my  fine  fellow,"  he  said,  patronizingly. 
"We'll  never  see  you  again.  Remember  me  to 
Fran9ois  when  you  see  him,  and  tell  him  not  to 
hurry  back  —  Good-bye,  good  old  Mooswa." 

"  I  guess  our  Shack  and  things  will  be  all  right 
till  we  get  back,"  said  Donald.     "At  any  rate 
Factor  McGregor's   kid  has  first  call,  I   reckon! 
I  'd    like   to  put  a  bullet    through    that    Breed 
though."  * 

^^  "What  if  the  Moose  bolts?"  asked  Dave. 
"Here's  a  tracking-line  they  used  on  their 
canoe,  —  suppose  we  take  a  hitch  on  his  horns 
or  his  nose  with  it ;  we  could  ston  him  if  he  tried 
to  get  away." 

"  Yes,"  answered  Donald,  "  and  if  we  can't,  if 


26o 


MOOSWA 


5 

^•"'m 


the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  we  can  drop  him 
with  a  bullet  before  any  harm  's  done." 

But  they  need  not  have  bothered  their  heads 
about  the  line,  for  Mooswa  knew  just  what  was 
being  done  ;  he  was  taking  his  Boy  to  the  land 
of  good  care.  Like  an  old  cart-horse,  he  plodded 
along.  The  snow  was  frost-hardened  again,  and 
the  going  was  good. 

In  three  days  they  arrived  at  The  Landing. 
Francois  was  just  ready  to  start  with  a  new  out- 
fit the  Factor  had  given  him  debt  for.  Then  for 
days  he  had  to  hide  from  Donald  Bain,  for  there 
was  sheer  murder  in  the  big  Scotchman's  heart. 

The  day  after  their  arrival  Mooswa  disappeared. 
When  he  got  back  to  his  comrades  he  found 
that  Whisky-Jack  had  told  them  everything, 
and  next  to  Black  King  he  was  the  greatest 
hero  in  the   Boundaries. 

The  Factor  sent  Roderick  in  to  Edmonton 
with  his  own  team,  and  nursing  soon  put  him 
right. 

When  he  told  about  the  angels  feeding  him, 
and  keeping  his  fire  going,  the  people  listened  a 
little  awe-stricken,  for  they  saw  that  he  believed 
it  firmly.  Also  the  two  Hunters  asserted  that  the 
fire  was  burning  brightly  when  they  came.  Per- 
haps after  all  it  was  the  angels. 


IN  THREE  DAYS  THEY  ARRIVED  AT  THE  LANDING 


o 


U 


By  John  B.  Grant 


OUR  COMMON   BIRDS 

AND   HOW   TO   KNOW   THEM 

By  John  B.  Grant.     With  64  full-page  plates.     Oblong 
1 2 mo,  $1.50  net. 

PARTIAL  LIST  OF  PLATES:  hoot  owl,  belted  kingfisher,  whip- 
poor-will,  KINi;BIKn,  PHni"  ■ ,  BLUK  jay,  bobolink,  MKAIJOWLARK,  ORCHAkU 
ORIOI.h,  HURI'LK  MNCH,  REU  CROSSBILL,  SNOWKLAKE,  SNOWBIRD,  SON(.  SPAR- 
ROW, CARDINAL,  SUMMKR  RKDBIRD,  CliDARBIRI),  MAt.NOLlA  WAKBLER,  BROWN 
TIIRUSK,  WINTER  WREN,  WOOD  THRUSH,  ROBIN,  Ulul  \i  OtllCfS. 

The  author  of  this  attractive  volume  dwells  upon  some 
ninety  sjjecimens  of  our  common  birds,  and  between  the 
remarkably  lifelike  illustrations  and  the  straightforward, 
easily  intelligible  descriptions,  no  one  need  be  at  a  loss 
for  the  name  or  habits  of  any  bird  an  outdoor  rand>le 
reveals.  A  calendar  of  the  times  of  arrival  and  departure 
of  the  various  species  in  the  latitude  of  New  York  enables 
the  student  to  know  what  to  look  for  at  any  given  date, 
and  the  fine  literary  quality  of  the  book  adds  a  charm  to 
its  use  quite  dispelling  any  unpleasant  ** textbook"  iisso- 
ciations. 

"The  book  is  learned,  but  not  too  much  so  for  cotninon  use,  and,  if 
carefully  studied,  it  will  introduce  the  student  into  that  interesting  world  of 
bird  life  where  a  lew  favored  mortals,  such  as  the  author,  Bradford  Torrey, 
(Jlive  Thornt  Miller  and  a  small  haiuHul  more,  have  won  their  way  and 
brought  back  so  much  of  delight.  The  book  has  more  than  sixty  plates  of 
the  commoner  American  birds,  with  descriptions,  and  a  very  enjoyable  and 
instructive  introductory  essay."— 7'A<"  Congregationalist. 

"  It  gives  plain,  practical  illustration  regarding  birds  and  how  best  to  study 
them  in  their  haunts  and  homes  in  the  woods  and  fields.  The  plates  adorn 
the  pages  and  give  value  to  the  concise,  clearly  written  text." 

—  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

"With  the  fine  illustrations  and  the  simple  and  comprehensive  text,  there 
is  no  excuse  for  the  lover  of  birds  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  all  the  information 
he  needs  to  enable  him  to  recognize  at  sight,  and  to  name  unerringly,  any  bird 
he  is  likely  to  see  in  his  walks  in  wood  and  {\^\6.:'— Boston  Saturday  Gazette. 


By  Ernest  Seton-Thompson 


WILD  ANIMALS   I    HAVE   KNOWN 

Being  the  Personal  Histories  of  Lobo  the  Wolf,  Silverspot 
the  Crow,  Raggylug  the  Rabbit,  Bingo  my  Dog,  The 
Springfield  Fox,  The  Pacing  Mustang,  Wiilly  the 
Yaller  Dog,  and  Redriiff  the  Partridge.  With  200 
illustrations  from  drawings  by  the  author.  Fifty- 
first  Thousand.     Square  i2mo,  $2,00. 


i    t 


CRITICAL   NOTICES 

"  It  should  be  put  with  Kipling  ami  Hatis  Christian  Anderseti  as  a  classic." 

—  The  Athenaum. 

"  Mr.  Thompson  is  now  tlrawinR  the  best  tnamnialsof  any  American  artist. 
.  .  .  This  is  aitistic  fiilclity  to  nature  ni  \\\\^\\  dfRrec.  .  .  .  NothiiiK  of 
ecjual  simplicity  could  he  more  ctTectivie  than  tliese  little  marginal  odilitics  and 
whimsies.    The  book  is  thoroughly  good,  both  in  purpose  and  execution." 

—New  York  Evening  Post. 

"This  book  is  unique  in  conception  and  illustration.  .  .  .  One  of  the 
most  valuable  contributions  to  animal  psychology  and  biography  that  has  yet 
appeared.  Mr.  Seton-Thoinpson  is  not  only  a  naturalist  and  an  animal  artist  of 
very  high  attainments,  but  is  master  of  a  literary  style  that  is  at  once  graphic 
and  fascinating.  .  ,  .  The  author  of  '  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known  '  is  a 
keen  woodsman,  as  well  as  an  accomplished  artist  and  writer,  and  has  given 
us  a  book  that  opens  a  new  field  to  our  vision.'' 

--/•  A-  Allen  in  The  American  Naturalist, 

"  In  its  mechanical  make-up  the  book  is  a  great  success.  The  illustrations 
by  the  author  are  among  the  best  of  modern  book-making." 

—Boston  Universalist  Leader. 

"  Nothing  apart  from  '  1  he  Jungle  Book  '  has  ever  approached  these  tales 
in  interest,  and  the  200  illustrations  add  greatly  to  their  charm." 

-New  York  World. 

"  The  originality  and  freshness  of  tliese  stories  is  irresistible.  ...  In 
everything  he  does,  Mr.  Thompson  has  a  way  peculiarly  his  own.  .  .  . 
Even  if  naked  and  unadorned,  the  facts  he  tells  us  would  be  very  interesting; 
but  when  we  have  the  facts  and  the  factors  fairly  dancing  before  us,  clothed  in 
all  the  quaint  quips  and  droll  pcrsidMge  of  an  accomplished  humorist  and  born 
story-teller,  they  are— as  I  have  said— -irresistible."— J/r.  William  T.  Horna- 
day.  Director  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park,  in  Recreation. 


n 


NOWN 

f,  Silvcrspot 

y  Dog,  The 

Wully  the 

With  200 

.r.      Fifty- 


icii  as  a  classic." 
i<?  Athenaum. 

American  artist. 
.    .     NothiiiK  of 
iiial  oddities  and 
execution." 
k  Evening  Post. 

.  ,  One  of  the 
phy  that  has  yet 

animal  artist  of 
at  once  graphic 
ive  Known  '  is  a 

,  and  has  given 

n  Naturaiist. 
The  illustrations 

mlist  Leader. 
ched  these  tales 

York  World. 

ible.  ...  In 
lis  own.  .  .  • 
fery  interesting ; 
re  us,  clothed  in 
morist  and  born 
Uiam  T.  Horna- 


THE    TRAIL    OF    THE 
SANDHILL    STAG 

Written   and    ilhistrated    with    60    drawings,   by  Krnj;m 
Seton-Thompsun.     Square  i2mo,  $1.50. 


CRITICAL   NOTICES 


Tin 


"  One  of  the  most  thoroughly  attractive  of  the  autumn  hooks.  .  . 
story  is  almost  too  pcrlert  a  whok-  to  lend  ilHcK  readily  to  iiuolation.  .  .  • 
A  story  to  he  read  and  le-re.id,  liiidiii^;  (resh  heauty  at  each  rcailinn,  and  a 
book  well  worth  the  owtiiiijj.  .  .  .  It  is  impossible  to  write  tort  highly  <>f  tin- 
illustrations.  Pictures  whiih  really  illustrate  are  all  too  rare,  and  the  toiiihi- 
natiun  of  author-artist  is  usually  u  last  mating  one."— AVw  York  Times. 

"  It  is  diflicult  to  determine  wliii  h  fjives  one  the  most  pleasure  in  .1  book 
by  Mr.  Krnest  Sctoii-'rhumpson— the  ;uilhor-artist's  narrative  or  the  artist- 
author's  pictures.  The  two  together  certainly,  as  in  the  case  of '  The  Trail  of 
the  Sandhill  .Slag,'  unite  to  produce  a  singularly  liarmonious  result.  Mr. 
Setoii-Thom|)son  can  read  the  heart  o(  the  hunted  animal  as  well  as  count  the 
pulse-heats  of  the  huntsman  himself,  and  in  this  tale  is  condensed  the  whole 
tragic  story  of  the  chase.  This  ilouhle  point  of  view  is  unique  with  this 
writer."— "  Uroch  "  in  Life. 

"  Bliss  Carman,  speaking  of '  The  Trail  of  the  Sandhill  Stag,'  says  :  '  I  had 
fancied  that  no  one  could  tuiich  '  The  Jungle  Book  '  for  ;i  generation  at  least, 
but  Mr.  Thompson  has  done  it.  We  must  give  him  place  among  the  young 
masters  at  once."    And  we  agree  with  Mr.  Carman."  — TVit'  Bookman. 

"  Nothing  more  beautiful  in  a  dainty  way  has  been  brought  out  in  c'anada." 

—  Toronto  IVorlJ. 

"  It  gives  us  again  glimpses  of  the  life  of  animals  that  arc  astonishing  for 
their  delicacy  of  perception,  and  charming  by  the  deliness  of  their  literary 
form."— iVtfiy  i'or/b  Mail  and  Express. 

"A  bree/y  little  narrative  of  outdoor  life.  .  .  .  The  author  has  cele- 
brated the  steadfast  hunt  and  its  iiiteresfing  end  with  art  aiitl  emotion" 

New  York  Tribune. 

"  Is  a  truly  poetic  bit  of  impressionistic  prose."— CA/ira^y  Tribtme. 


By  Frances  Theodora  Parsons  (Mrs.  Dana) 


1I« 


HOW  TO   KNOW  THE    FERNS 

A  (iiiiilf  to  iIr'  Names,  llaimts,  ami  llaliils  t)l  our  Nativt- 
Ferns.  liy  Kkani.ks  TiiKoitokA  I'aksons  (Mrs. 
Dana).  With  144  full-page  illiistraliuns,  and  6  lull- 
page  illustrations  from  i^hotograplui.  Crown  8vo, 
5^1.50  net. 

"Since  tlic  publication,  six  years  .iro,  of  '  How  Id  Know  the  Wild 
Flowers,'  I  have  received  such  coiivincinK  testimony  of  tlic  cuKcrness  of 
nalure-loveis  of  all  a^t's  and  conditions  to  fatinli,iri/e  themselves  with 
the  inhahitants  of  our  woods  anil  lields,  and  so  many  assitiames  of  the 
joy  which  such  a  lamili.irity  all'ords,  that  I  have  piepaied  this  com|ianioii 
volume  on  '  Mow  to  Know  the  Ferns.'  It  has  been  my  e.xpeiicnce  that  tlie 
worhl  of  deli);lit  wliich  opens  before  us  when  we  are  adnntlcii  into  some  sort 
of  intNu.icv  with  <Mir  i  oinpaiiiims  other  than  human,  is  enlarged  with  each 
new  society  into  wliich  we  win  our  way."— /•Vi;///  the  .luthor's  I're/ace. 

"Of  the  ferns,  as  the  flowers,  slie  writes  as  one  who  not  only  knows  but 
loves  them.  The  charm  of  her  fernlmok  is  as  iriesi^tible  and  pel  v.hIiuk  .is 
is  the  charm  of  nature  itself.  This  f.;ilted  .iii<i  eiilliu^iastic  iiatur.ilisi  knows 
the  ferns  literally  'like  a  hook,'  and  her  hook  makes  the  first  lesson  of  the 
novice  in  the  lore  of  fern-life  an  easy  and  a  deliv,htrul  task." 

—New  York  Mail  anJ  Hxpress. 

"  This  i.  a  notably  thorough  little  voluiiie.  The  text  is  not  voluminous, 
and  even  with  its  many  full  pa^e  illustr.itions  the  book  is  small;  but  brevity, 
as  we  are  glad  to  see  so  many  writers  on  nature  leariiin^,  is  the  first  of  virtues 
in  this  field.  .  .  .  The  author  of  '  Mow  !■  I  Know  the  l'"i'iiis  '  has  mastered 
her  subject,  and  she  treats  of  it  with  autlioi  vs.''— New  Yoi  k  Tribune. 

'*  rhe  inspiration  that  entered  into  and  made  'How  to  Know  the  Wild 
Flowers'  so  tieservedly  popular  has  not  'oeeti  lost  in  'How  to  Know  the 
Ferns.'  ''—New  York  Times. 

ACCORDING   TO   SEASON 

Talks  about  the  Flowers  in  the  Order  of  their  Appearance 
in  the  Woods  and  Fields,    lOmo,  75  cents. 

"  Whoever  shall  start  out  for  a  country  walk  with  this  little  book  will  add 
greatly  to  present  enjoyments,  and  will  be  continually  acquiring;  a  fund  of 
useful  and  agreeable  knowledge."— /'wW/ir  Of^inion. 

A  SELECTION  OF  FIFTY  PLATES 

From  '*Mow  to  Know  tiie  Wild  Flowers."  Prin«^ed  on 
Special  Paper  suitable  for  Coloring  by  Hand.  The 
set,  in  a  portfolio,  $1.00  ne/. 


f  ;■; 


S.Dana) 


Books  for  Lovers  of  Nature 


:rns 

our  Native 
,()NS  (Mrs. 
an<l  6  fiill- 
Jrown  8vo, 


On  Flowers,  Animals 
and  Birds 

CHARLF.S  SCRIBNRR'S  SONS,   PublishcrH 


now  the  Wild 
lo  caK»-Ti>t'ss  of 
licinsclvfs  Willi 
iuiaiiifs  of  tlie 
tills  ('iiiii|iaiii(iii 
•lii'iii  o  tlial  till" 

I  into  SOUR'  sin  t 
jnvi\  Willi  eai  li 

s  Preface. 

only  knows  iiut 
1(1  pel  vailing  as 
aluralisl  knows 
St  k-Sboii  of  the 

and  }'xt^ress. 
lot  voltiiiiinous, 

II  ;  l)ul  brevity, 
e  fiisl  iif  virlufs 

'  has  mastered 

Tribune. 
Know  the  Wild 
V   to   K.I10W  the 


|)N 

Appearance 

i'  hook  will  add 
liiiK  a  fund  of 

.ATES 

I'riiUed  on 
Hand.     The 


HOW    TO    KNOW    THE    WILD 

FLOWERS 

By  MRS.  WILLIAM   STARR   DANA 

With  48  Colored  Plates  and  New  Black  and  White 
Drawings,  Enlarged,  Rewritten  and  Entirely  Reset 

A  Guide  to  the  Names,  Haunts,  and  Habits  of  our  Native 
Wild  Flowers.  With  48  fiili-pa^'o  colored  i)lates  by 
Elsie  Louise  Shaw,  and  no  fiill-pni^e  illustrations 
by  Marion  Satterlee.  60th  Thousand.  Crown 
8vo,  $2.00  tict. 

This  new  edition  has  been  enlarged,  reviserl,  and  entirely 
reset,  the  illustrations  have  been  remade,  and  it  has  in  addition 
48  full-page  colored  plates  from  drawings  by  Miss  I'isie  Loiusk 
.SiiAW,  made  especially  for  this  edition.  The  Xntion  says  : 
"  Every  (lower-lover  who  has  spent  weary  hours  puzzling  ov«'r 
a  botanical  key  in  the  efforts  to  name  unknown  plants,  will 
welcome  this  satisfactory  book,  which  stands  ready  to  lead  him 
to  the  desired  knowledge  by  a  royal  road.  The  book  is  well 
fitted  to  the  need  of  many  who  have  no  botanical  knowledge 
and  yet  arc  interested  in  wild  llowcrs." 

"lamdelightcd  with  it.  .  .  .  It  is  so -xnrtlv  the  kind  of  work  needed 
for  outdoor  folks  who  live  in  the  cnuntrv  but  kimw  little  ot  systematic  hoianv, 
that  it  is  a  wonder  no  one  h  >s  written  it  before. "—//«'«.  Thi'Otiore  Roosevelt. 

"It  is  not  often  that  a  ..nok  so  sii^ijestive  of  pleasure,  pure  and  simple, 
comes  our  way.  So  far  as  we  recall  books  on  Ih.wers,  it  is  the  first  that  makes 
country  walks  an  intellit;eiit  jov  for  those  who  know  nothing  f>^  botany  but 
who  have  eyes  to  see  and  minds  to  (|iiestion."— 77/<'  Neiv  York  Times. 

"  Every  flower-lover  who  has  spent  wearv  hours  pu/zliiiK  over  a  botanical 
key  in  the  eflfort  to  name  unknown  plants,  will  welcome  this  satisfactory  bijok, 
which  stands  ready  to  lead  him  to  the  desired  knowledge  by  a  roval  road.' 

—  The  Nation. 


m 


;      {   i 

'I' 

i  '  f  » 


By  H.  E.  Parkhurst 


HOW   TO   NAME   THE   BIRDS 

Illustrated.     i6mo,  leather,  ;^i.oo  nef. 

"  Mr.  Parkhurst  has  compiled  a  convenient  pocket  guide  to  the  birds  of 
the  New  England  States,  New  York,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania.  He  has 
greatly  simplified  the  comnidii  system  of  bird  classification  for  the  beginner  by 
omitting  such  details  as  are  invisible  at  field-range,  and  by  emphasizing  such 
characteristics  as  color,  size,  and  time  of  appearance." — /Review  of  Reviews. 

"  He  has  given  to  his  book  every  advantage  essential  to  a  plain,  sttaiglit- 
forward  account  of  honest  observation."— iV.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  The  advantage  of  H.  E.  Parkhurst's  '  How  to  Name  the  Birds'  is  not 
merely  in  its  concise  and  careful  descriptive  matter,  but  in  its  form.  It  is  the 
only  book  of  the  sort  that  one  can  put  into  the  pocket  of  an  ordinary  coat  and 
carry  into  the  woods  and  fields  when  he  is  away  on  his  country  rambles." 

—Brooklyn  Eagle. 

SONG   BIRDS  AND  WATER  FOWL 

Illustrated.     i2mo,  $1.50  net. 

"  This  most  entertainingly  as  well  as  carefully  written  volume  has  for  one 
of  its  best  values  the  attention  it  gives  to  that  most  untrampled,  and  yet 
peculiarly  alluring  domain  of  bird  lore — the  stream  and  the  lake,  the  sea-beach 
and  the  wave.  With  this  book  Mr.  Parkhurst  must  receive  full  confirmation 
as  one  of  the  most  companionable  and  begniling  v-riters  on  birds." 

—G.  W.  Cable. 

"  It  will  be  welcome  to  the  many  friends  his  former  book  made.  The 
illustrations  are  the  finest  that  have  ever  been  printed  in  this  country  in  black 
and  white,  with  exception  of  another  series  by  the  same  artist." — The  Nation. 

THE   BIRDS'   CALENDAR 

Illustrated.      12 mo,  $1.50  net. 

"  A  charming  book.  It  contains  a  year's  individual  experience  of  study 
and  observation,  the  birds  for  each  month  being  enumerated  and  described, 
with  comments  on  their  characteristics  and  luibits,  and  with  very  useful  and 
beautifully  printed  illustrations."— Z'At'  Outlook. 


CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS,    Publishers 
153-157  Fifth  Avenue,   New  York 


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—The  Nation. 


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By  Harriet  L.  Keeler 


OUR    NATIVE     TREES 

AND    HOW    TO    IDENTIFY    THEM 

With  178  full-page  plates  from  photographs,  and  162  text- 
drawings.     Crown  8vo,  52.00  tiet. 

CONTENTS:  genera  and  species;  illustrations;  guide  to  tiik 
trees;   descriptions  of  the  treks;    form  and  strccti'kk  of  roots, 

stems,  leaves,  flowers  and  fruits;  the  TREE-STKM  or  trunk  ;  SPKCIKS 
AND  genus;  glossary  OF  BOTANICAL  TERMS;  INDEX  OF  LATIN  NAMES  ; 
INDEX  CF  COMMON   NAMES. 


CRITICAL    OPINIONS 

C.  S.  SARGENT,  Professor  of  Arboriculture  in  Harvard  University  : 
"Of  such  popular  books  the  latest  and  by  far  the  most  interestiiiK  is  by 
Miss  Harriet  L.  Keeler.  .  .  .  Miss  Keeler's  descriptions  are  clear,  com- 
pact, and  well  arranged,  and  the  technical  matter  is  supplemented  by  much 
interesting  and  reliable  information  concernitifj  the  economical  uses,  the 
history  and  the  origin  of  the  trees  which  she  describes.  Outline  drawings  of 
the  flowers  and  of  the  fruits  of  [many  of  the  apecies,  and,  beautifully  repro- 
duced full-page  photographic  plates  of  the  leaves  or  of  branches  of  the  prin- 
cipal trees,  facilitate  their  determination." 

"  The  value  of  a  book  of  this  character  is  not  only  enhanced  by  its 
numerous  illustrations,  but  positively  dependent  upon  them  ;  those  in  the 
present  volume  being  of  unusual  interest ;  and  the  book  ...  is  one 
which  should  add  new  interest  to  the  coming  Summer  for  many  to  whom 
nature  is  practically  a  sealed  hook,  as  well  as  heighten  the  pleasure  of  others 
to  whom  she  has  long  been  dear."— A".  Y.  Times  Saturday  Review. 

"  The  plan  of  the  book  must  be  heartily  commended.  No  admirer  of  trees 
should  be  without  it,  and  if  you  go  away  into  the  country  for  even  a  short 
stay,  and  care  to  know — as  you  should  care — anything  about  our  native  trees 
you  will  find  this  volume  an  invaluable  guide.  One  could  bring  home  from  a 
walk  a  collection  of  leaves  and  then,  with  the  aid  of  the  illustrations  in  this 
book,  identify  them  all.  Then  you  will  know  those  trees  the  next  time  you 
encounter  them,  and  they  will  take  on  a  new  interest  and  meaning  to  your 
eyes."— Brooilyn  Eagle. 

"  The  book  is  altogether  an  admirable  specimen  of  book-making,  alike  to 
eye  and  touch.  The  illustratiors,  over  .500  in  immber,  include  almost  every 
tree  mentioned,  and  are  rarely  beautiful.  Especially  satisfactory  are  the 
plates  of  the  varying  foliage  and  cones  of  the  conifers." 

—N.  Y.  Commercial  .'idvertiser. 


